Just before CW pulled the plug, I believe someone reported that Amos Press had sole the 3PG service of ANACS to Anderson Press. Is this correct?
Thank you Steve; O.K. lets see if I have this right; Anderson Press putchased the 3PG company ANACS on Mar. 4, 2005 from Amos Press (Coin World). It seems that Anderson press is the parent company of Western Publishing Co., who just happens to be the parent company of Whitman Publishing (who has just merged with H.E. Harris). Follow me so far, or have I missed someting along the way?
I think you got it right OldDan...so far I haven't see any changes in ANACS...but they did get the VP from ICG to work for them!...ICG seems to have some good ideas so I hope this guy will be able to help get ANACS where they should be...right up there with NGC! Speedy
BTW--I think that CW was long gone when ANACS sold to Anderson....if I'm right they just sold it this year...a few months ago and CW forum has been gone a little bit longer than that--sure miss that place. Speedy
sooooo.... am I missing something? Does Whitman or HE Harris have some sort of affiliation with a different TPG that would make this a conflict of interest or something? I don't understand what your concern is. I don't see a problem with a company owning a grading business and a coin album printering company, in fact it seems rather natural that they would be owned by the same company. hmmm, I must be missing a crucial conection somewhere. So, Old Dan, what is it that I'm missing?
I think HE Harris also is the owner of the ANA Guide to Grading...and in the last copy that came out they changed how to grade coins untill my F would be a VF and so on... Speedy
Answer to you question Cave Troll; You have hit the nail on the head Speedy. I guess that if there is a conflict of interest it may be in the fact that Whitman publishing holds the copyrights to the “Official ANA Grading Standards for the United States Coins”, and as such has complete control over the content of the publication. ANA either gave, sold, swapped or traded away the book and all that goes with it, for what ever reason only known by ANA and Whitman. This is the new standard by which all coins are currently being graded. It in effect makes a Fine condition coin into what could be graded a VF coin. Now ask yourself if you are one of those collectors who has a Fine coin in a slab already, and reads this so called “standard” that says it could be a VF if graded by today's (gradeflation) standards. How many of these will be broken out and resubmitted for regradeing by a 3PG company (such as ANACS). Around here they call this priming the pump, or salting! Yes, I think this could be a conflict of interest! And yes, I think the ANA is in on it all the way.
I agree...and I can't wait too see if ANA starts to "over grade" coins again...I think it was not too long ago (before I was a collector) that ANA was known to overgrade and that is why many collectors don't like ANACS and that is why most coins in ANACS slabs go for much less than coins in NGC or PCGS slabs go for... Speedy
ahhh, thanks. I think I'll just keep using my 24 year old copy of ANA grading standards. That's one book that I don't feel the need to buy the newest edition of on a regular basis. If the standards change, that is their problem, mine won't!
None taken, but for guys with all those initials behind their names, I'm sure this is old news. For all of old boys up here in the hills, we are juat now catching up with you guys from the big cities. So cut a little slack, would you?
OH NO!!!! I`m being castigated, (or at least belittled?) for being involved with some of the organizations of the hobby I love? I plead guilty!!! no offense.... not always been a flatlander......... lol
Well, I'll kinda disagree with that. In the first place, in the new book the ANA flat out states that they are not changing or creating the standards - that they are merely reporting what standards are currently being used in the marketplace. Marketplace can be defined as the top grading companies, coin dealers and the majority of collectors. In the second place - these changes in the grading standards didn't just happen overnight. They have been occuring gradually over the past quite a few years. When was the first time you heard the term gradeflation mentioned ? That means it started before the year 2000. So what's that mean ? That means that those coins already graded as VF - if submitted again today - will come right back still graded as VF. At least if they have been slabbed in the last 6 or 7 years. Now one graded 10 years ago - it might have a chance at an upgrade. But then that explains why we have been seeing all the upgrades for the past several years. The change already took place folks. Only difference is - now it's recorded in a book.
Are you telling me that recording it in a book (“Official ANA Grading Standards for the United States Coins”) makes the act legitimate and above board? O.K. guess I got used to thinking that "cleaned" coins were BAD, but that coins that had been "conserved" are GOOD. So it follows that all Fine graded coins are destined to be at least Almost Uncirculated some day in the future. Long live the ANA!
Thought you knew me better than that. No - I am not saying that at all. What I AM saying is this - for years the collectors have looked up to and trusted the ANA when it came to their grading standards. But for the past 10 years at least the grading companies and large dealers have completely ignored the standards in the old ANA book. The problem is - MOST collectors don't and didn't know that. Most collectors mistakenly thought the grading companies DID follow the ANA standards. So the reason I think this new book is a good thing - is because to me, at long last, we have it in writing that the standards HAVE CHANGED. And we have it in writing from a source that most or many collectors trust - or used to trust. The problem is - most folks are not looking at this in that light. They are taking it that the ANA itself has changed the standards - they have not. In my opinion the ANA, by their comments in this book, is saying to collectors - WAKE UP FOLKS - THE RULES HAVE CHANGED !! THIS is what's going on in the marketplace with grading - and has been for years !! I can only hope that collectors will realize this and understand it for what it is and what it is supposed to be instead of something it is not.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think OldDan would be satisfied, ar at least agree, if the title was to change to "The Official ANA Guide to Current Grading Practices for United States Coins". It would make it clearer that the ANA is merely reporting the most recent "practices" and is in no way attempting to set or uphold a "standard". stan·dard n. Something, such as a practice or a product, that is widely recognized or employed, especially because of its excellence. Last I checked acquiescence had little to do with excellence. That being said, I agree its good to stay knowledgeable about current grading practices so if nothing else, I'll know reality from fantasy.
As you said, that would be a step in the right direction. It would be my preference to not have ANA in the title anywhere. Let the book be called "The Whitman Grading Guide to Current Grading Practices for United States Coins". This would put the whole practice into proper perspectve.
Just Reporting Changes, Not Making Any Dollar Gains Cents; More Inches in the Yard (Washington DC) The US National Institute of Standards and Technology announced new rules for defining our common units of trade and commerce. "This is not a new standard," said Dr. Mortimer Snerd, assistant associate deputy press undersecretary of NIST. "We are only recognizing the realities of the marketplace." According to NIST, the new dollar will have 109 cents, based on the fact that an 99-cent pack of gum carries an average of 10 cents of state and local sales tax. The new yard will have 40 inches, making it closer to the meter, which is the international "metric" standard. The pint is officially a half liter, making the guart exactly one liter. Beer drinkers may or may not be happy with the new standards. The 12-ounce bottle will be phased out by 2010 and all beer in "six packs" will be sold in Half Liters. Still undetermined is the affect on American major league professional football, which traditionally is played on a field 100 yards long. The New Jersey Giants have begun extending their field, tearing out stands in the end zone. However, the Baltimore Ravens recalibrated their field, placing the goal posts on the 91-yard lines.
Thanks Mike! Just got to love it, and it sure makes about as much sense as the "Official Standarrds" booklet.
