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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Hobo, post: 402700, member: 11521&quot;]Andy,</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>I don&#039;t mean to be snide here but, to use one of my favorite quotes, &quot;A little knowledge can be dangerous&quot;. What you seem to be doing is taking bits and pieces from grading guides and interpreting them literally. This is only going to lead to frustration and confusion for you.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>What you need to do is to <i>study</i> grading. Take a course on coin grading. Read a book on how to grade coins. What I am getting at is you need to understand the concepts behind coin grading before you can begin to apply them. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>You are trying to apply technical grading in a system that uses market grading. And in market grading eye appeal is <b>HUGE</b>. Eye appeal can take many forms - luster, strike, toning, etc. A coin that technically grades the same as another can be market graded higher than the other coin due to eye appeal. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Like others have said, some day computers may be able to consistently technically grade coins but I have serious doubts they can be programmed to consistently measure eye appeal. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>I understand your confusion with market grading. I had to retrain myself to accept market grading. I am an engineer. To me 2 + 2 - 4, no if, ands or buts. It is absolute, not subjective. I applied the same logic to coin grading. I used to think a coin&#039;s grade should be based on what happened to it after leaving the press. In fact, that is exactly what I learned long ago. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>My first grading guide - the 1970 edition of PhotoGrade - and the early ANA Grading Standards were based on technical grading. This was great for an engineer. But times have changed. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Somewhere along the line market grading entered the picture and that is how all the knowledgeable TPGs, dealers and collectors grade coins today. I had to retrain myself to be subjective when grading coins. Eye appeal is a huge component of that subjectivity. I am still on that learning curve. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>You wouldn&#039;t attempt to fly a plane by buying a book, following the instructions on how to start the engine and operate the controls would you? (I hope not!) You would most likely take a course that teaches you a lot more than simply the mechanics of how to get the plane into the air. Similarly, a coin grading course will teach you more than simply measuring wear on a coin. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Do yourself a favor and educate yourself on coin grading. ANA offers an excellent home study course for a reasonable price. ANA also offers short courses in grading at their national shows. I&#039;m sure there are other choices out there, too.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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