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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;GDJMSP, post: 279968, member: 112&quot;]Zane, perfect examples of what I was talking about. And if you compare the standards used by PCGS to the ANA standards it is rather easy to understand. For example, the PCGS grading guide says - </p><p><br /></p><p><i>AU55/58 coins have slight friction on the cap, face, bust, hair below the ribbon, and most high points on the rest of the hair. On the reverse, the neck, legs, claws, and tops of the wings have slight wear.</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p><i>Worn to AU50/53, there is obvious friction on the noted areas with some hair curls and feathers now slightly flat. The cap and cheek, especially on the small size, will also have noticeable friction, with the field showing rub.</i></p><p><br /></p><p>Based on the above description, the coins do seem to meet the grading criteria used by PCGS. But therein lies the difference. The ANA standards say - </p><p><br /></p><p><i>AU50 obverse -</i></p><p><i>Traces of wear show on the hair above the eye and over the ear. Drapery clasp is clear and bold.</i></p><p><i>reverse - </i></p><p><i>Traces of wear show on talons, arrowheads, and edges of wings.</i></p><p><i>Surface - Part of the mint luster is still present.</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p><i>AU55 obverse - </i></p><p><i>Only a trace of wear shows on highest points of hair above the eye.</i></p><p><i>reverse - </i></p><p><i>A trace of wear shows on talons and arrowheads.</i></p><p><i>Surface - Some of the mint luster is still present.</i></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Once you compare the two sets of standards to each other, things are a lot easier to undertsand. I also think it is quite obvious that if one were to use the ANA standards that none of the coins pictured in this thread would grade anywhere near AU.</p><p><br /></p><p>This comparison also shows us that grading is not as subjective as one might be led to believe. It is more a case of which set of standards one chooses to use.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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