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Message:: [QUOTE="physics-fan3.14, post: 2963906, member: 19165"]My book is more focused on learning how to evaluate the individual aspects of strike, luster, wear, surface preservation, and eye appeal. I try to explain why the coin looks the way it does, how to evaluate each of these factors, and understand the coin you are holding. Towards the end of the book, I explain how to put all this together to determine the grade of the coin. In essence, I'm trying to teach how to grade rather than impose my own personal standards (although, everyone will recognize that every author has a bias). I base my grading off my interpretation of the ANA grading guide, but I acknowledge that it is subjective and will be altered by each person's interpretation and opinion. (And yes, I do touch on the subject of market grading, although I don't spend too much time on it.) Although the wording will be different, and the results may be slightly different, the ANA standards are very similar to the PCGS and NGC standards. They all arrive at roughly the same place. The difference between PCGS, NGC, and other grading companies is in how consistently and accurately they apply their standards. Theoretically, we could write the most amazing set of guidelines, one which every single collector would agree upon - but if we can't consistently apply those standards, it doesn't do anyone any good. And that's the problem that some companies have.[/QUOTE]