Message:

<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Jaelus, post: 7852797, member: 46237&quot;]Except that it&#039;s not two scales. It doesnt go from 58 to another independently numbered scale. It goes <i>up</i> to 60, etc. Try talking to anyone who grades other types of collectibles and explain this system and they will think you are insane.</p><p><br /></p><p>The problem is the obsession with wear. Impairments are impairments. There is no difference between wear, a bag mark, a hit, etc. Any damage to the coin regardless of the source should have an equal impact in reducing the grade commensurate with its severity. Wear is not special to the point where it needs its own scale. The more impairment a coin has from any source, the lower the grade. It&#039;s really a very basic and easy to grasp concept.</p><p><br /></p><p>Surface damage is surface damage. Wear is not special.</p><p><br /></p><p>When I learned to identify problem coins, I had an epiphany when I realized I didnt have to identify what had happened to the coin. I just had to realize that there was the absence of an original look. Likewise I realized this carried over to grading. The <i>source</i> of a surface impairment on an original coin doesn&#039;t matter. The absolute truth of this statement is important to grasp. Market grading acknowledges this truth, but doesn&#039;t go far enough. Coins are frequently capped as to how high graders will go into MS on a technically AU coin, and the AU and MS prefixes themselves haven&#039;t been dropped yet. They are vestigial impedements to the full realization of market grading.</p><p><br /></p><p>A tiny impairment should have a tiny impact on reducing the grade. <b>This is common sense.</b> But old timers look at a coin and say well <i>this</i> tiny impairment is a bag mark so the coin goes from a 70 to a 68, but on this other coin well <i>this equally tiny impairment</i> is wear so the coin goes down from a 70 to a 58. It&#039;s an indefensible practice that is on its way out.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

Your name or email address:

Do you already have an account?

• No, create an account now.
• Yes, my password is:
• Forgot your password?

Stay logged in