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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;JPeace$, post: 2312812, member: 42727&quot;]Welcome to the hobby.&nbsp; There is a lot to learn and IMO, it&#039;s part of the fun.</p><p><br /></p><p>There is an ANA Grading Standards book.&nbsp; I suggest buying the latest edition and read it.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>According to many, none of the TPG&#039;s actually strictly follow the established ANA grading standards.&nbsp; Each has their own twist.&nbsp; PCGS and NGC are recognized as the top two because of their grading consistency.&nbsp; Some prefer only PCGS, others NGC.</p><p><br /></p><p>ANACS has changed hands many times which has led to doubt among collectors.&nbsp; Same for ICG.</p><p><br /></p><p>Many, like myself, try to judge the coin in the holder and then make a buying decision based on our own grading skills.&nbsp; I do not consider myself an expert in this area by any stretch of the imagination; however, I&#039;m&nbsp; comfortable enough in my current knowledge to make good buying decisions.</p><p><br /></p><p>Once you learn grading, you&#039;ll start to form your own opinions of these companies.&nbsp; Like I said, there&#039;s so much to learn in the hobby, so it&#039;s impossible to cover all aspects of this in one short message board thread.</p><p><br /></p><p>If I can share a few things though, it would be to educate yourself before making any big buying decisions.&nbsp; Be patient.&nbsp; There are usually many examples to choose from, so you can afford to be picky.&nbsp; Buy a few lower price coins in the series you want to collect so you can familiarize yourself with the coin in hand.&nbsp; Nothing beats seeing a coin in hand.&nbsp; Again, these are just some of my beliefs.</p><p><br /></p><p>Don&#039;t be afraid to ask questions and have fun.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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