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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;National dealer, post: 7461, member: 487&quot;]Good point queenkoin. I don&#039;t know if the services know what their standards are from day to day. I guess it depends on which 3 graders are sitting at the table. </p><p>I have a great deal of respect for them, and wouldn&#039;t want their job. </p><p><br /></p><p>rbm86</p><p>There really isn&#039;t a price guide for ultra rare grades. Most dealers use the large auction prices as a guide. The Bowers and Superior auctions are a good place to see what certain coins are bringing. </p><p>For our firm, we let the customers dictate most of the prices. If we have a client searching for a registry set quality coin, they set the price and we try to obtain it in that price range. For pieces that have no bench mark to judge by, we use Bowers and Merena auctions. This way, the general coin buying public can put a number on it. </p><p>I do not, and will not recommend paying big money for any modern coin no matter the grade. If it hits a 70 than spend a little extra, but not thousands or even hundreds. Too many good coins out there. For the customer that wants a great value, step up to a MS-68 Morgan. That is much better than any modern coin with a 70 grade on it. </p><p>When searching for ultra grades, I suggest that you spend some serious time on one type of coin. For example, if you like the Lincoln series, start there. Look at as many high grade examples as you can find. Look at each little hair line. I highly recommend a 10 powered loupe. The strike should stand out. No flaws in luster. Any bag mark or other contact mark will kill the high grade. If you lay out 30 coins side by side, pick only the one that stands out of the pack. Then, go over it again and again looking for any flaws. Be very sure to check the rims. Learn where the thickest part of the coin is, and watch for weak strikes. You should know what the coin should look like. By that, I mean what the mint intended it to look like. You have to have a very early strike. It takes time and experience. The numbers are against you. It is just the truth. If you want one 70 on a holder, you will have to submit 80 to 100 coins. After you build your expertise, this number drops. We can usually hit 69 or 70 on one out of five. The others are all lost money.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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