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Message:: [QUOTE="National dealer, post: 9924, member: 487"]I agree with GDJMSP. All of my employees and I have completed the ANA course at least once. Grading is the hardest part of coin collecting. You can develop a good base line in a relative short period if the effort is put in. I would suggest that you start with one series to begin with. The ANA grading book is a good one, so is PCGS, and Photograde. No book will teach you how to grade. You must look at many coins. Many in the same series, and many in the same grade. In my experience, if you want to master any grade in a given series, roughly 1000 coins must be viewed of that particular coin in that grade. An example would be a 1884-CC in MS-64. Look at that particular coin 1000 times, and you will know how to pick one out. That same principle will work with each grade and every coin. You have to remember that not all Morgan's will grade the same way. Books do not teach that. Each coin series must be judged on its own merits. Many branch mints must be graded differently from each other due to different striking pressures and other factors. Sorry if this is too much info. I do not want to confuse you.[/QUOTE]