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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Randy Abercrombie, post: 24877957, member: 92655&quot;]Couple of things... First off, the more coins you handle, the better your skills will become. Honestly, I been handling coins for fifty years and I couldn&#039;t distinguish an MS66 from an MS65. I don&#039;t know that is as important as judging wear, and yes a coin collector should be able to tell a G from a VF generally speaking. Honestly, I learned all my grading basics from the Redbook way before we had internet tools.</p><p><br /></p><p>Cleaned coins... That&#039;s a loaded subject but I&#039;ll just say this. Learn what luster is. Luster is a result of the flow lines of the metal when it is struck in a die. Take a brand new quarter out in the sun and turn it around in the sunlight. You will see how the light reflects from the flow lines. An improperly cleaned coin is void of luster or flow lines. We have a member here [USER=19165]@physics-fan3.14[/USER] who wrote a book that details this very subject called The Art and Science of grading coins. Chock full of valid info for the collector that really wants to know how to grade.</p><p><br /></p><p>Before I write an epiphany, I&#039;ll offer one more bit of useful info I got here on CoinTalk. I pick up a coin and am immediately submersed in the beauty of the coin which robs me of the ability to be subjective. I don&#039;t study the coin before I am in awe of the coin... It was suggested to me to view a coin upside down. As odd as that sounds, it does give pause to the &quot;WOW&quot; factor and gives me the time to study the coin before I am head over heels into it.</p><p><br /></p><p>Anyway, hope some of this is useful. Learning how to spot luster is of absolute importance. Spend some time learning that first and foremost.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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