Gradeflation

Gradeflation is real.

There. I said it.

Now shoot me

 

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Thank you for giving me reason to use the ignore feature on these forums for the first time.

 

REALLY LIKE!

 

Seems to me that you have some OPINIONS also. Anyone who claims to be a "professional numismatist" [I'm speaking in general terms - not pointing fingers - so stay cool UNLESS YOU feel you are one of those unqualified to grade coins] who needs to look on a web page, Ebay auction, or grading guide in order to grade a coin is frankly WASTING TIME here. Just saying...

Nevertheless, in all honesty I do consult "guides" several times a week in order to be sure I am "Market Grading." I have NEVER looked on Ebay to grade a coin. That really would be silly! Yet, I do understand that you checked Ebay ONLY to back up an opinion.

As to Snow's research, It's good. I requested a link from someone at CW I knew in order to read it and add it to my grading files.

PS As I wrote before Fines don't go up 2 grades...that's silly.

Perhaps Bower's knows that a large number of collectors/dealers are BONEHEADS. When I talk/write for these guys, I tend to use EXTREME examples to help get my point across! THE POINT BEING: Grading is less strict now than it was in the past. I truly hope no bonehead trys to refute this as they will just get a large # of faces (whatever they are called) as my answer.

 

What articles does he write? Perhaps a column...Inquiring minds wish to know.

 

Please don't ignore him, some of his stuff must be valid. I want to hear more from both of you on CT.

 

I look at Heritage quite regularly to grade coins. They have a vast archive of graded coins, and I compare the coin in question to this archive. A significant amount of information can be gleaned from this comparison.

Using Ebay in a similar manner is slightly trickier, but almost the same.

 

I only use Heritage for questions of authenticity since most of us here agree that photos are only one "guide" to grading. Anyway, IMO, their site and PCGS Coin Facts are A-1 for authenticating rare pieces.

 

Looking at ebay has its place, its okay for general ideas for people trying to get a sense of things, but it certainly isn't to the level of research someone such as Bowers should be using for articles with wide spread conclusions.

It was a good read that had some actual research involved. I can't remember the exact details of it as he posted it a while back but I do recall the findings were reasonable. It doesn't appear to be on his website but would be nice if someone is able to track it down.

I don't think anyone will argue that it is different than it used to be and I would agree for people who value the technical aspects heavily it would be less strict in their eyes. For people who value eye appeal over technical (within reason like a 15 to a 20 or a 35 to 40 from eye appeal not a 15 to a 40) probably view it as a welcomed change.

 

If you understand what you are looking at, and if you are able to grade, and if you are able to interpret the photos, then using an archive of pictures can be a useful tool. These are, of course, all big IFs. The Heritage coins are all graded by respected TPGs, so they give you valuable insight into how the TPGs grade that date/series. I have purchased enough coins from Heritage to understand their photography and how it relates to in-hand. Photograde only gives you one picture of each series in each grade - Heritage gives you many (sometimes hundreds!).

 

I was hoping no one would ask...the link may still be on my work Email but I will need to find out how to "clean it up." I do have a "partial printout in my files - I'll see what I can do.

 

Quite a good point! In the future, I shall paraphrase it and claim it as my own. Thanks

 

That would be great if you can find it to repost it. Google just keeps giving me his youtube videos.

As long as I get royalties lol

 

For what? Furthermore, who are you? I never heard anything you said about eye appeal?

 

The article was in the Longacre Ledger, January 2015; pp 10-15.

Another article by Rick in the same issue about grading "standards" being loose at both PCGS and NGC is on pages 24-36.

 

Well that's one less thing for me to worry about - thanks

 

Even Rick Snow has the same opinion as Mr Bowers,


Edit I see someone already made this statement

 

http://www.indiancent.com/eerc_images/1877AU50.pdf

 

True, even the TPG's graders can only do it about 75 to 80% of the time.


And Bowers isn't saying anything those of us who have been collecting for a long time haven't noticed for ourselves. F-12 to XF-40 may be somewhat extreme, but F-12 to VF-20 to 30 wouldn't surprise me at all.

 

I'll argue with your percentages because it depends on the grader. 80% is VERY low for a few of them. Additionally, there are several dealers who can hit higher than 80% if guessing the grade done by a service they frequently use. I claim to be able to do it for NGC and PCGS way over 90% and practice all the time at coin shows. No brag, just fact. THIS DOES NOT APPLY TO SLABS IN GTG POSTS where I'm awful. I need to see the coin.

I'll bet there are CT members who can also hit over 90%. It is not hard when you have seen enough coins. When I miss, it is on the conservative side since there was no grading over MS-65 when I was learning.