Howdy Folks - We have had many a discussion on grading - but it never ceases to amaze me how many different views there on the subject. To me, perhaps the most surprising thing is that many of us have a different outlook on what aspects of a coin should be considered when grading. I can readily understand one person grading a coin as MSxx and another grading it MSxy. But are the factors that are included in determining the grade different for some of us ?? So - let's have an informal poll. What factors should be considered when grading a coin ? Those I judge are - Surface Preservation - the wear & marks or lack thereoff on the surface of the coin Strike - the quality or degree of fullness of the strike Luster - the way the surface of a coin reflects light Eye Appeal - a subjective opinion of the way the coin "looks" So please express your opinions. Are these the factors that should be judged when grading a coin ? Do you include all of them - or only some of them ? And why ?
i posted my reply here... http://www.coinpeople.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3710 but if you want them in order... 1 = most important 1) Surface preservation 2) Lustre and Strike (neither prevent UNC) 3) Eye Appeal (i've seen some nasty UNC coins in my time, doesn't stop them being UNC though) Surface preservation is by far the most important grading issue for me.
Well I use the four you describe also. Depending on which type of coin that I am grading. The order of what to look for first may change.
I see nothing wrong with those criteria. As a matter of fact, all aspects of coin grading are subjective and are mearly the interpretation of what each individual sees in any particular coin at any particular time. Now, having said that, I try as much as possible, to use the A.N.A.'s Grading Standards to grade U.S. coins. It just seems to take more of the subjectiveness out of the equation for me. It is especially usefull when I am trying to grade a series that I am not so familiar with. Now, another factor that I consider heavily is damage. I may drop a coin several grades if there is enough damage. Also, on issues that are nomally weakly struck, I may not consider strike as much as I would some of the other factors. Another factor that I usually don't consider to a great degree, is toning. (unless it's obvious that someone has monkeyed with it) Personally, when it comes to uncirculated coins, I tend to try and keep it as simple as possible. MS-60, MS-63, MS-65 and MS-67 are about as good as I ever come into contact with. The other intermediate grades are too much like splitting hairs for me to worry about. I'm also one that doesn't believe that there is such a thing as a perfect (MS-70) coin. So, to sum it all up; untill the human factor is taken out of the equation, coin grading will always be subjective, and as long as the basic, long held standards are used, who can say that one person's opinion is any better than anyone else's?
