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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;GDJMSP, post: 1377518, member: 112&quot;]Yes I have seen many coins that I agree with the grade, far more of them than I disagree with. If you go back a few years and read my posts on this, and other forums, you&#039;ll find that I rarely disagreed with the grade assigned by the TPG. Many times people would post pics of raw coins, ask my opinion, I&#039;d give it, they send the coin to the TPG, and the vast majority of the time the coin would come back with the same grade I had given. That was the rule, I wasn&#039;t right every time, but it was a rare exception that I was wrong.</p><p><br /></p><p>However, things change. It is my contention, and the evidence backs me up, that the TPGs changed their grading standards in 2004. Their standards became much looser. Coins that used to consistently grade 63 suddenly became 64&#039;s and some even 65&#039;s. 65&#039;s became 66&#039;s, 58&#039;s became 62&#039;s and 3&#039;s, some even 64&#039;s. </p><p><br /></p><p>Others argue with my contentions, say that I am wrong, say that the TPGs did not change/loosen their grading standards. Others agree with me. There have even been many articles written in the coin mags by the most respected names, by people that used to be graders and people who have written countless books - they agree with me. Who&#039;s right and who&#039;s wrong ? It&#039;s a matter of opinion, but as I say the evidence backs me up. People will believe what they want to believe, regardless of what anyone else says.</p><p><br /></p><p>So in recent years, because of this change in TPG grading standards, yeah I disagree with a lot of the grades assigned. I talk about it because it seems that nobody else will and I think people deserve to know. They can choose to agree/believe me or not, that&#039;s up to them. But if I don&#039;t say anything, they&#039;d never know at all. And if they are to spend their hard earned money, sometimes a lot of it, on coins then I believe they deserve to have information to allow them to make informed decisions. So I speak my mind.</p><p><br /></p><p>As to how do I know so much ? Don&#039;t know that I do, I am far from an expert and have always claimed that I am no expert. But I have been involved with coins since 1960. I have read most of the books written on coins, I have an extensive numismatic library. I was born, blessed, with a good memory. I remember just about everything I&#039;ve ever read. But more than any of that I study, really study, everything there is about coins. I&#039;ve been to countless coin shows, talked to and listened to the best there are in the coin biz. I have looked at and studied millions of coins. I create and keep lots and lots of computer files, and constantly refer to them every day. My books are right by my side at my desk and I refer to them every day. I do everything I can to learn as much as I can - every day.</p><p><br /></p><p>If you want to see the truth of what I say, or if you want to prove me wrong, buy the books, study them. Then look at the coins and compare what is in the books to the grade assigned on the slab. And go into the auction archives on Heritage, look at coins that were graded and sold prior to 2004. Compare the grades on those coins to the grades being assigned today. You&#039;ll either see it or you won&#039;t. But don&#039;t believe me, don&#039;t just take my word for it, see for yourself.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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