Yes Catman, it's the archives express. What do suppose would happen if market grading collapsed tomorrow? Now I can see all the eyes out there rolling around and hear all the snickers. But the market grading system is just that--a system. Systems are order, authority and central control. The world has been trending in that direction for 500 years and now "times up." It's been up, IMO, since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Was there ever a bigger system than that? Chaos and deviance check and attack order/authority/central control and especially status quo. You can believe that humpy dumpty was thrown off that wall by the barbarians scaling it. They probably went to his house after that and drank up all his beer. So what happens when a system collapses? It doesn't just vanish into thin air. It becomes something else, just as the former Soviet Union did. However, it can't go back to what it was or they'll just throw humpty dumpty over the side again. It has to adapt and arrange itself to a new way. Now...where do suppose they would get their ideas from to build a new grading system if it were to collapse tomorrow? From the archives and from memories of people who read the posts of a couple of thousand dissenters of market grading.
Well,here in New Zealand,we use a very familiar system called the 7 Point grading system,which is far easier to understand.The grades are as follows; G. - Good. VG. - Very Good. F. - Fine. VF. - Very Fine. EF(or XF) - Extremely Fine. Unc. - Uncirculated. BU. - Brilliant Uncirculated. Sometimes we use the terms 'Proof-like' & 'Proof' as well,but these are not really grades,but ways of striking. I personally cannot grade coins or notes,but I know a lot of people who can grade using this simple system.We don't understand anything like MS-65 or MS-70.I have been informed that even a lot of Americans don't like the complicated system that is used to grade American & Canadian coins.
Aidan, Beleve it or not I can remember when we used the same system here in the U.S...Before Slabs...! Catman
Steve,I can guess that you are also in favour of the 7 point system.I have seen a few coins in those plastic slabs.I don't like the slabs though,as they are ugly & cumbersome.How is one supposed to put a slabbed coin in their album? A late friend of mine did not approve of such mounting at all.He preferred to put the coin straight into the album page in a 2x2 holder.I used to use 2x2's,but stopped using them in 2002.Eventually,I will be getting some albums to put my coins in.I will do the same thing with my British Commonwealth banknotes.
Hey Aidan, I usually design and make my own albums. They trun out very attractive, protect the coin extremely well, easy to see and provides information about the coin. Maybe I shoul post some pictures. They are easy to make. catman
Steve,what's the weather been like in the Casino Capital of the world (Las Vegas)? Have you ever listened to Elvis Presley's 'Viva Las Vegas'?
It is real nice this time of year with 40-70 most days. However in August and September you can cook an egg on the hood of your car. It ranges 100 to 120 degrees. Yes I have heard the song and own a copy of the movie. I like both well. They have the Elvis Museum here as well and that's kind of neat. catman