Here's a thought to ponder... is grading a gift or merely a skill ? Are some people truly gifted in this area, such that they can do things above and beyond the average guy ? Are the absolute highest levels of astuteness available to anyone who puts in the time, effort and study ? Or do individuals have a personal "ceiling", due to their natural limitations ? Have you known someone who seems truly remarkable, and seems to have a gift for grading ? Perhaps it's both a gift and a skill... For this discussion, let's include all aspects of evaluating any coins including ancients. Consider detecting counterfeits, alterations, discerning wear from weak strike or worn / greasy dies, AT vs NT, and anything else you can think of. Gentlemen, start your engines !!!
The answer to that really depends on the individual for it is both. Yes, practice and knowledge are absolute requisites. But there are some who possess an innate gift and because of that they require much less practice than others. For example, some people can spend a lifetime, 40 or 50 years studying and practicing grading to get to a certain skill level. Others can spend but a few years and be considered by their peers to be the best there is. How else can you equate such a thing if it is not a gift ? Proof ? Well, the person who is perhaps one of if not the finest grader known is a young lad barely over 20 years old.
If you are talking about who I think you are, he was the finalizer at PCGS at 18 years old I might add.
your question is a little like asking is the ability to hit a pitched baseball a skill or a gift. The reality is that most everyone with enough effort could learn to do it to some extrent, but to do it at the highest level requires a certain giftedness that simply cannot be learned. The same is true of coin grading. With enough practice most anyone could be a passable grader, but to be elite requires a gift too, at that level no amount of training can overcome not being specially gifted.
I think The Cave Troll stated it the best. There are just some folks out there that have that extra ability ingrained within them and no amount of practice or study is going to make a regular "joe" such as I an expert in any given field. That said, I can still do a fair job at grading something...call it ballpark....but I lack that extra insight.
Not necessarily. Some of have been "grading" for years and still get it all wrong. No more comment.:vanish::vanish::vanish:
It's pure skill. Like all other human activities, some will have more skill than others. But I don't think there is any grading "gift." Hard work and interest in the subject are the primary requirements. ... and maybe a small amount of flair, hype and showmanship thrown in to impress the masses.
I think thats as true an answer as you can get. It's like anything else...some people have it and some don't. Everyone can draw a picture, but few can paint a masterpiece. Everyone can hit a baseball, but few can hit them out of the stadium. Same goes for grading. Anyone can do it, but few can do it on a level that is consistent and reliable enough to be called professional. Guy~
I believe it's both. It's like singing IMO, (similiar to what Cave Troll said really, lol). Anyone can learn to sing with enough practice, but it's truly a "talent" for many. Grading is really the same thing IMO. Some people have photographic memories, and that helps them a good bit if they want to be graders IMHO. Also, grading isn't just "one" thing. It's a combination of things. Knowledge, memory, being able to notice things real well, and knowledge (I know, I repeated myself. ) That's just my opinion on it for now. Interesting thread. :thumb: Phoenix
It's a skill the average person can learn with practice , I don't think you can equate it to speed , or artistic ability . The person who was a finalizer at PCGS , probably started looking at a great no. of coins early in his life , take ten people with the same interest and desire to grade coins let them see the same no. of coins with the same help and guidence and I think they will all grade at about the same level in a matter of a couple of years . rzage
I agree that it is practice, but what takes one person a month to learn can take another years. The same can be said for learning any skill.
You've given me a lot of good guidance, guys. Cave Troll's response best fits my thoughts. In his reponse, I'll highlight the key points which hit me square : To me, the essence of the issue is multi-fold : Effort, study, and practice benefit anyone and everyone. With equal effort, different individuals progress at different speeds. Everyone has a personal ceiling based upon innate, inborn gifts and natural talent. Different individuals plateau at different levels based upon two factors : natural gifts and good ol' fashioned work and effort. Even the most naturally talented folks will have little skill if they don't put forth the effort. Seems that applies to almost anything; baseball, playing a violin, or paddling whitewater. Whatevah. Cave Troll didn't equate baseball and grading; he compared them, thus drawing an analogy. That was very helpful for me. Thanks, guys. Ricky
