One thing keeping me from getting coins graded...

Different light sources produce different shades. Even more so if there is a combination of different light sources contributing to the same photo.

 

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I’ve got a number of different types of light avalible if I need it but I’m rather low tech.
1. Incandescent
2. 3 different designs of LED bulbs
3. Two types of neon bulb
4. Ott light

 

This started thought because he said he doesn't care what the other labels say, in that regard it's impossible to separate out the who from the where they work.

There almost certainly are graders there that have the knowledge and skill set to go to the first tiers and maybe not even miss a beat hitting the ground running, but his major and minor league analogy was fairly accurate. Regardless of their knowledge or skill set there is no question that the first tiers get the overwhelming majority of the rarities, the high values, do more volume, and very likely get more doctored/fakes trying to get slipped by them. They just simply aren't dealing with the same type of material day in and day out.

In a lot of ways its like being the best hitter in Japan, that makes you better than 99 percent of the planet but they still need to prove they can do it at the top level. It's not their fault, but it's hard to ignore that a lot of the coins they deal with are lower value easier to grade coins. There's something to be said for working in the added pressure of high value coins

 

Any are good as long as you set the camera's white balance to the particular light.

I used to use OTT lights, but later switched to LEDs because of them being easier to work with.

There is a big difference in color temperature between the two. OTT's have a color temp of around 5000˚K while LED's are around 3000˚K.

 

You are certainly correct about the big rarities; however, I have been told this for a fact from two sources. ANACS and ICG get all the deceptive C/F's and altered coins the "big guys" catch. Probably because the submitters believe as Kurt does that the second tier guys are ignorant dummies!

 

You shutter bugs know all that stuff! I just point and shoot until
Something looks right....hopefully LOL

 

You've got the nerve to question a professional coin grader's verdict on "questionable?" Who in the hell do you think you are? There's going to be your response from the nut gallery, in one form or another. Now, to the truth. The truth is, congratulate yourself, you just reached the first plateau. It's not they don't know beans. It's the standards they're judging on to determine that are bogus. Those standards are, NT, AT, and QT, which don't have definitions. Credit the marketing of the market graders for keeping us buffaloed on that all the way to their bank accounts. Why do they do that? Look at your question. They can keep a coin from being graded for it, which keeps the coin out of their market. If they told us the truth, that those standards they're judging toning on are entirely arbitrary, we wouldn't need their market to sell them, would we? There you go...

Great question, BTW.

 

I was a millwright. My apprentices never and I mean never finished an important job with out my oversite. Generally they just weren’t a complete package until about 3 to 5 years. I wouldn’t even let them work on my wheelbarrow for the first year. If these second tier graders have the training and experience then I don’t see a problem. They can grade my coins okay probably but then so can I.

 

I definitely believe some people try again with them, afterall they couldn’t have possibly made a mistake the graders must be wrong

 

The coins owner is not known to the grader.

 

There are rumor mills in any size of operation, things can be known. Just saying although any nefarious dealings would require a very small group indeed so as no to be detected. Chances of this are low but possible. After all that law suit jazz I doubt that there are any active evil coin cells left operating at ANY TPG Firm..........FOR NOW!

 

WOW now that’s a Bean. Also I’m thinking that you should have some elongated Cent dies made with that design also. I’d spend $.51 on that!

 

352sdeer, posted: "If these second tier graders have the training and experience then I don’t see a problem."

I agree, the folks at ANACS and ICG who are training the newer graders who "made-the-cut" have a minimum of thirty years in the grading room. I think they may be qualified to grade coins - anywhere.

PS Eddie is correct. Some "guesses" about toning are better than others.

 

...or "do" even. I will not and HAVE NOT ever cast aspersions at any grader, because I have no idea who ANY of them are ... at ANY firm,... ever. And I don't care, either. The people are not at issue, at least in the individual sense. What's at issue is the work produced. And I have no confidence W-H-A-T-S-O-E-V-E-R in what is printed on the label of ANY slab from modern-day ANACS (VAM attribution exception), PCI (of ANY vintage whatsoever), ICG since about 10 or so years ago, or any of the assorted alphabet soup slabs out there. Even the worst team in baseball has one All-Star. Broken clock, etc. Pick your own favorite old saw. The work speaks for itself, and what I'm saying is I think I'm better by far than any slab outside of PCGS and NGC. AND STOP PUTTING WORDS IN MY MOUTH I NEVER SAID!!!!!! Never mentioned any gradER, because I don't give a darn WHO they are. Just like the laws I have personally written. Only the work matters, not my autograph. (Most of the law I've written I don't even LIKE.)

So, why don't I grade? There isn't a TPGS near here and I like my present job here. I wouldn't live in SoCal or the Florida Gulf Coast for all the money in the world.

 

Why else do you think I don't own a single CAC and will never want one? If I ever get one in a group lot, I MAY just scratch it off; that's how lowly I regard it. By the way, even though I now get more 70's than ever, I still see 69's that are superior coins to 70's, even from my beloved NGC. It's a cruel stinking joke.

 

I’ll send you my favorite razor scraper, much easier and less messy

 

Now it just looks flat and dead, compared to the straight graded ones. The way the light varies across the coin's face just is not the same.

 

The only way to tell if it's real, send it in to be graded. If it's real, even improperly cleaned, it's worth some money.

 

V. Kurt Bellman, posted: "...or "do" even." Ha, ha, ha! Please see below...

"I will not and HAVE NOT ever cast aspersions at any grader, (? ?) because I have no idea who ANY of them are ... at ANY firm,... ever. And I don't care, either. The people are not at issue, Dah, the PEOPLE ARE the grading service. at least in the individual sense. What's at issue is the work produced. By those people? And I have no confidence W-H-A-T-S-O-E-V-E-R in what is printed on the label of ANY slab from modern-day ANACS (VAM attribution exception), PCI (of ANY vintage whatsoever), ICG since about 10 or so years ago, or any of the assorted alphabet soup slabs out there. Even the worst team in baseball has one All-Star. (?) More misinformation! Who are the "All-Stars" at NCCG, ANGS, CCNC, and the rest of the Fly-by-night services?" Broken clock, etc. Pick your own favorite old saw. The work speaks for itself, and what I'm saying is I think I'm better by far than any slab outside of PCGS and NGC. AND STOP PUTTING WORDS IN MY MOUTH I NEVER SAID!!!!!! Never mentioned any gradER, Oh, but you did. Your words mean something. Here is a clue: If someone were to post that Coin Talk has a bunch of ignorant "blowhards" and they prefer another site, that would reflect on you, me, and everyone here INCLUDING the more knowledgeable folks then us! So you see, you did bash all the "gradERs" after all. "...because I don't give a darn WHO they are. Just like the laws I have personally written. Wow, blow me over - I'm very impressed! Only the work matters, not my autograph. (Most of the law I've written I don't even LIKE.)

So, why don't I grade? My guess would be none of the major services has asked (recently) for you to come in and be tested. Anyway, I should keep your day job. There isn't a TPGS near here and I like my present job here. I wouldn't live in SoCal or the Florida Gulf Coast for all the money in the world. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!