For all you people looking to improve your grading skills!

I found an app that's FREE called Pcgs Photograde. Pics will explain it. Hope you guys find it useful!

 

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Already have it downloaded. Works great. I'll take a look at it a few minutes every day to work on my grading skills.

 

Gotta start doing that! Just a quick question, why do they skip certain grades like au-54 for example

 

They go by their own PCGS standards. The only grades that appear in the app are all the grades that a coin could potentially receive if submitted to PCGS. PCGS wouldn't grade a coin "AU-54" (it would either be 53 or 55 for them), so they don't include it in the photo grade guide.

 

Au-54?

I've never found that I've never needed to use a grade like that, only 50, 55, and 58.

Au-53 is a pretty recent invention.

 

Photograde is a great resource. But as far as I am concerned, it is not the definitive reference on grading coins. There can be no source of exact grading with simple photographs of single coins that cover an entire series.

As far as the AU54 question above, if you spend enough time looking at a certain series, you will find yourself wondering a lot of times between the 53 and 55 grade. Trying to discern a 54 grade in there will just further compound the situation. All coins do not wear evenly the same.

 

I see thank you all!

 

Cool fact GDJMSP, I always thought that first it was 60, 65, and 70, then later came 63 and 67, and finally all the others.

 

I downloaded the app today and am quite impressed with it. My one two concerns with just a few minutes of overview is that I do not see "modern" issues so much...for example: no SBA dollars? I was also hoping to improve differentiating between proof grades though the app only presents for business strike grades. I am sure this is understandable as demonstration of proof grades would present a compounded difficulty with photos.

 

Actually, I don't see how the pics explain anything. Maybe the whole photo you uploaded doesnt' show? How do you download an app to your computer anyway?

 

There's an iPhone app but photograde is also available on the PCGS web site. Just google it. There are no explanations like where to look for wear, but from the pics you can more or less tell the grade of a coin. AU53 vs AU55 is pretty hard though if you're not experienced with the series. I just bought a 1905 Barber half, and guess what, the seller says it's an Au55, I tend towards 53... will post the coin tomorrow and will let the CT community decide ;-)