ICG And HSN'S Mike Mezack Part Ways? "There are 3 Major Grading Services"

If it was me I would be worried about the growing popularity of ICG as well if most of my inventory was ANACS

 

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I certainly plan on going to coin shows and any auctions I can, and use the experience to learn more about grading. But it seems to me that in its own way that's problematic, too, since it is, apparently, so subjective. I guess there is no objective grading system.

 

I'll check out the video. Thanks!

 

You wouldn't believe the grading extremes for virtually any given coin just amongst the top tier TPG. An inexpensive method for learning disparities is to view "slabbed" coins on eBay. Multiple empirical submission studies and internet observations have generally determined your hypothesis is correct.

JMHO

 

Thank you for posting the PCGS website on grading.

 

OF COURSE IT’S SUBJECTIVE!!! Everybody has admitted that since Day One.

 

Then things have changed since the last time I used them.

 

They have gone both ways, you can think everything across the board got loser but that isn’t the case. Many designations are harder today as one example.

Also though as I pointed out earlier your style of grading as out dated as it is is already a change to be “loser” from previous standards. You seem to completely ignore that fact and just pretend like that isn’t the case while arguing standards shouldn’t ever change.

That hasn’t consistently happened across the board you’re overstating it as usual.

But yes many people do want to see a more fluid system that grading has evolved into where the ms line isn’t a hard ceiling and hard cut off. A lot would like to see a more top to bottom system where a tiny bit of rub on a single spot isn’t penalized more than a bunch of bag marks on a hideous coin.

 

Sounds like I need to resubmit my mid to late 90’s graded coins, huh? But if I did that, I could categorically disprove 80% of Doug’s “rap”. Hmm. Almost worth the expense. If I decide to do it, I’ll resubmit ALL my old slabs, to be fair.

 

It’s almost like having actual experience disproves all the emotional propaganda that gets put out there

 

@GDJMSP, please address, if you’d care to, my 1959 Red Book, which has three grades: Good, Fine, and Unc. vis a vis the changing standards argument.

 

Can’t have THAT, can we? After all, emotional propaganda is all some people have left on which to cling. After all, 4 of my no line fatties are MS67. I bet they’re now MS71 at least.

 

That would probably need a new diamond CAC sticker as well.

It would be a shame to destroy those no line fatties just to prove what pretty much every one else already knows.

One thing is very clear to me, no matter how good someone used to be at something when they stop doing it for a decade their skills erode and time passes them by.

 

Experience seeing the graded coins, the market standards of the time which again is hands on experience, the PCGS grading videos, the PCGS/NGC websites, the grading courses you can take. Most people that are ACTIVELY involved have a generally good grasp on grades for series they’re passionate about

 

@baseball21 has it absolutely correct, as if he had my log-in. I admit I still get old gold wrong; I’m WAAAY too tough on it. And I am so flummoxed by Indian quarter and half Eagles, I feel like I can’t even function there yet. The reason they CAN’T be written is because it’s an analysis in 5D space. One attribute is 2D - plot the attribute against grade. With 4 grading axes, you need 5D space.

In case some don’t know yet, it’s Preservation, Strike, Luster, and Eye Appeal. All 4 can and do raise and lower a grade. By the way, this is ALSO why PhotoAnything is useless. You can’t cover all 4 grading axes in a straight line photographic lineup like in even PCGS PhotoWhatever. A true MS63-64 can look like darned near ANYTHING. Disclaimer: I am not discussing circulated grades here. They work fine enough in 2D space.

 

Here’s a real world example. I have a 1925 California Commem. It has the tiniest of almost imperceptible rub on the very highest points, but it has the most eyeball ripping luster and deep sharp strike I’ve ever seen on one. Tiniest hint of color in the lettering areas, very attractive. No “hits” that I can see with a 10x loupe. Should it max out at AU58? Some here will honestly say “yes”. I say BULL!

Full disclosure: I bought it raw and had it graded over 20 years ago - AU58. It’s out of its plastic dungeon again.

 

In my opinion Kurt is really full of it, and his YELLING will not change facts that I bought graded coins since they were available because they were touted to conform to the OFFICIAL A.N.A. GRADING STANDARDS FOR UNITED STATES COINS. The illustrated book was copyrighted in 1977 with 13 grades.

I purchased many of my first Gold Coins from ACG, where the owner was severely criticized for his supposedly liberal grading.

I still have many of the ACG graded coins which I'd gladly compare against higher graded coins by todays "top tier" TPG, including a semi-key that was presented as a walk-through cross-over by a prominent grader at a show. The coin was assigned cleaned, given a serial number, still remaining in the ACG slab.

I'd give odds that the ACG coin can receive a straight grade, presented "raw" to the 4 top TPG.

JMHO