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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Insider, post: 2343384, member: 24314&quot;]Good morning!&nbsp; Gather around kiddies.<img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie26" alt=":bookworm:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />&nbsp; First, all of you should have developed YOUR OWN PERSONAL grading standards before buying anything that is not in a major TPGS slab. </p><p><br /></p><p>[USER=112]@GDJMSP[/USER] has his own standards and uses an obsolete standard <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie57" alt=":jawdrop:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /> that at one time was based on how the ANA interpreted the grading standards in use at ANACS and less so by coin dealers THIRTY YEARS AGO.<img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie46" alt=":facepalm:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>This was before PCGS was started.&nbsp; PCGS and, shortly after, NGC were founded by COIN DEALERS because they did not like the way <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie92" alt=":stop:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /> the first grading service at INSAB or the second grading service ANACS were grading coins.&nbsp; Both companies were too strict at the Uncirculated line and (for a long time) did not take a coin&#039;s value due to strike and eye appeal into consideration when grading.&nbsp; The dealers (wolves) were licking their chops at the prospect of controlling the market (sheep). </p><p><br /></p><p>Now in fairness, change was needed <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie14" alt=":angelic:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />.&nbsp; The coin business was a &quot;tar pit&quot; for the ignorant.&nbsp; The TPGS began to clean it up.&nbsp; They also made a market <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie47" alt=":greedy:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /> so coins could be sold sight unseen.&nbsp; At first PCGS and NGC were strict.<img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie14" alt=":angelic:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />&nbsp; As time passed and with market pressure (up/down) their standards changed, have continued to change, and will continue to change over the decades.<img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie3" alt=":(" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>In an ideal world, ANA would have set the standard and all dealers/collectors would have followed it.&nbsp; THAT DID NOT HAPPEN.<img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie3" alt=":(" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />&nbsp; As I wrote before, VERY FEW professionals EVER followed the ANA standards. </p><p><br /></p><p>Now we can all complain<img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie103" alt=":yack:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /><img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie103" alt=":yack:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /><img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie103" alt=":yack:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />, whine <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie23" alt=":bigtears:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /><img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie23" alt=":bigtears:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />, try to convince new collectors to grade using the inadequate WORDS and OBSOLETE photos in a book <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie9" alt=":eek:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /><img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie46" alt=":facepalm:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /> or we can use all the items at our disposal (including the excellent introduction in the ANA Guide) to learn to grade.<img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie14" alt=":angelic:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /> </p><p><br /></p><p>Finally.&nbsp; I&#039;m still waiting <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie104" alt=":yawn:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /> for one of the posters here <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie67" alt=":nailbiting:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /><img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie5" alt=":confused:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /> to answer my question below. <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie14" alt=":angelic:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>Here is a description from the ANA Grading Guide (without the pictures <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie98" alt=":wacky:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />). What is the grade of the coin: &quot;Liberty is clear but not bold. Hair is outlined with very little detail. Only a few stars show any detail. <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie52" alt=":hilarious:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /><img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie52" alt=":hilarious:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /><img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie52" alt=":hilarious:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /><img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie52" alt=":hilarious:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /><img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie52" alt=":hilarious:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /><img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie52" alt=":hilarious:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>The fact that my question has not been answered should prove the point: GIVE IT UP!<img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie20" alt=":banghead:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /><img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie20" alt=":banghead:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /> The words are practically WORTHLESS!<img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie105" alt=":yuck:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /><img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie7" alt=":p" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /><img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie60" alt=":kiss:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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