I have my little brother (43 Cent, among these boards) over for the weekend. He, like me, collects coins. He has just started about a month ago. I have taught him so far how to handle coins, and what each US coin looks like (or at least the majority of them). He now though, wants me to teach him how to grade coins..and this is where I have a problem. I don't know how..lol. I know how to grade, but how do I teach someone else how to. Not only that, but he is seven. I guess the same way I learned from CT would be the answer, but I do not get to see him much. Anyone have a quicker solution. He understands details, or at least the meaning of it (details is a coin ungradble because of problems, or that is what I taught him at least). Now, I need to have him learn the meaning of P,F,AG,G,VG,F,VF,XF,AU, and MS. I do not claim to be an expert grader, as I usually can only grade to the word (I attach just AU to a coin rather than AU-55 or AU53). One more thing (and a big thing). He is 7 (almost 8). Would there be a different way of learning? Lol, he is still learning how to distinguish pocket change from coins that have more than face value (He is getting better with the dates though). any ideas? lol stainless
Photos may help... check out the "grading sets" on display at the PCGS Registry. Many of them have photos including my set of Indian Cents: http://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/showcase.aspx?sc=770 Also, I find the rough grading guides for each series in the Redbook to be quite helpful.
Stupid me..lol..ya the redbook can help him greatly....I think I have an extra around here somewhere. stainless
When my son started ( now given up for instrumentation music) I made a small comparison cardboard. I found a circulated or unc wheat cent in the middle of a grade and put them in a progression ( G,VG,F,EF,AU,UNC (brown), BU. and glued them to a piece of cardboard. He could take a cent and loupe and move the cent between the comparison ones until he came to the closest match. After a couple of weeks he was doing Ok without the board. No , it wasn't 100% accurate, yes we didn't differentiate good strike/bad strike years/mints, etc. but it sure got him started. But Music kick started him !! At least I don't have to worry about my 1914-D wandering away Jim
He might not be ready for Photograde yet, but using the link above he could start putting together his own grade guide. One good link to establish might be the 70 Point scale alongside the grade names. He could lay out the two lines parallel to each other and line up the grades and numerical value. And of course from the FAQ's here on CT. http://www.cointalk.com/t25586/
Just get some coins and sit down with him stainless, start with cents say. You explain to him why a given coin would be graded this or that. Then the next day let him try to grade a few. Then you tell him right or wrong and why. You two can do this with pocket change or rolls you get from a bank, with all of the current coins. Just do 'em one series at a time. But what you will find out is that you are going to learn as much as he does. And I don't mean that you need to learn to grade stainless. The same thing happens with everybody, beginners and advanced.
I say Dougs answer is probably the best , but maybe that book Grading Coins from Photographs . http://www.brent-krueger.com/books2.html#Grading%20&%20Counterfeit%20Detection The pictures are quite large and better than most books . Way to go stainless , mentoring a YN is a great thing . rzage:thumb:
Don't forget ..... The Official ANA Grading Standards for United States Coins. Helpful to an old guy like me and so easy a 7/8 year old can understand it with the proper mentor, which I'm sure is happening in this case.
Ok, thanks for the help guys..I have an ANA also, so I'll see how that does. I will try Doug's and desertgem's idea also. stainless
Not sure if you understand the workings of a 7 year old. If they are the usual 7 year old, 90% of thier interests wear off almost as fast as they aquire them. Be carefull of not attempting to make a 17 year old mentality in a 7 year old. Pushing to much of a subject on kids of that age usually ends up making them rebel and move on to other items. Playing is a lot more with others than sitting around with a pile of not moving coins. Just take it slow. Stick with the Red Book for example. Don't try to pull out a pile of books and expect a 7 year old to suddenly become a grading expert. Of course there are always those at that age that are different, but I'd take it slow if I were you. Look around at 7 year olds and note what they are like. Remember thier attention span is really short at times.
Stainless, best way to learn is to teach. The best teachers are always good new learners and have a lot to offer those who they teach, because they have experience and knowledge and can evaluate what they are learning as they are teaching to others. You may discover that you know quite a bit more than you initially felt you could teach and learn quite a few things that you thought you knew. It's such a great feeling discovering things about your self and your own knowledge, skills and how you are presenting information to others while teaching. It's a learning experience for all involved in the lessons. I know you'll do well and have fun because you are helping family too, plus you guys have all of CT and any other forums you may participate in as a resource. p.s. Stainless: off topic, I ordered that Ancients vol 2 by Sayles you recommended. hasn't arrived yet but I'm looking forward to some new reading matter. Thanks.
Heck yeah. This is similar to assembling a "grading set" for reference - very helpful at any level of play, including top experts. If you can pick a series and get a specimen of every grade, that would be cool (at least all the circulated grades). Another idea - take an array of coins and have him put them in order - best to worse and vice versa. Then look for the breakpoint between grades. Since much learning is visual, maybe have little cards which say "G", "VG", "F", "VF", "XF", "AU", "UNC" and he can match the coin(s) to the card.
I think Carl's notes are very important - at this age minimize the books, maximize the physical coins themselves.
I would get about a dozen pennies all along a scale of grades from poor to MS and mix them up on a table and have him rearrange them from "worst to best" in a line. This would be a great way to start by teaching him how one grade differs from the other. edit: oh, I didn't read other peoples posts including 900fine who has a similar idea as mine.
