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Message:: [QUOTE="V. Kurt Bellman, post: 3167989, member: 71723"]Yup, I am painfully aware of the "collect what you like" ethos, truly I am. And that's okay, AS LONG AS you have no disillusions about being taken seriously by the field at large. You want to go your own way? Fine, go do that. Have fun. But do not expect the hobby to embrace "your way". Before you can BECOME a certified coin exhibit judge you must DEMONSTRATE you will judge largely as your predecessors have judged, or you will NEVER become a judge at all. Yes, yes, I know that's so "last century" an attitude, but it's both the HOBBY'S (writ large) attitude AND it is MY attitude, for which I shall not apologize. I'm into standards. By the way, judging standards ARE changing. They're getting MORE draconian and resulting in LOWER average scores than ever before, and yes, there ARE insider fights over that. People are winning 1st Place with scores under 80 on a 100-point scale. Difficulty, rarity, and condition scores have been pushed WAAAAAY down in just the last two years. A rank beginner might score in the low 60's and win a bronze with it. There is no more standard like you have to score 90 to win a class. Out of over 75 exhibits at Philly, MANY set by past year Howland Wood Best in Show winners, only 4 scored over 90 in their class. Last year's Howland Wood winner didn't even get a bronze in their class this year.[/QUOTE]