Hello Dnna. Welcome to CT. The term BU is still used often these days but as has previously been stated, is an old grading term, prior to the Sheldon Scale. I often get the old terms mixed up in my mind (getting too old now and have been collecting since 1972). Anyway, the Sheldon Scale is pretty straight forward. Grades are from 1 to 70 with Mint State (Uncirculated) coins being in the range of 60-70. I found on-line, don't recall from which site, a list of the old terms and their equivalent numerical grades. BU - Brilliant Uncirculated would describe a Mint State coin with no evidence of circulation wear. All of the grades between 60 and 70 could be described as BU. IMO many many online sellers overuse the term and many times to describe a coin that is "all shiny". If it looks new and shiny but is an old coin, it has likely been cleaned. Learn how to identify the signs or risk paying too much. Uncirculated - MS-60 to MS-62 Select Uncirculated - MS-63 Choice Uncirculated - MS-64 Gem Uncirculated - MS65 to MS-66 Surperd Gem Uncirculated - MS-67 to MS-69 Perfect Uncirculated - MS-70 As others have advised, take your time, educate yourself and have patience. I agree with them. Your patience will be rewarded. I would suggest that you build a relationship with your LCS (Local Coin Shop). It's been my experience that the LCS owner is also a collector and as you can tell, collectors like talking about their coins. You'll get a lot of advise and a free education in the process (well less your time, but time well spent). If buying coins online, read the sellers reviews. I also look at where the seller is located. Unless I plan to buy junk, I don't buy from China or other sellers based out of country. Not that it is all junk but US Customs can get involved in international sales. As for China, too may counterfeit coins from that part of the world so buyer beware. Again welcome to CT and enjoy the hobby.
Hi @Dnna, I would recommed you stick to a few well know, trusted sites to buy coins from. There will still be more coins listed in total than you could possible dig through. No need to go to random sketcy sites. www.ebay.com www.ha.com www.greatcollections.com (one of my personal favs) www.stacksbowers.com www.davidlawrence.com www.northeastcoin.com Just those sites alone you are talking about hundereds of thousands of coins. Other people will all have their own personal favs, but the above links could keep you busy looking and thinking and asking questions for probably months! No more sketcy random sites.
Put your cursor on someone's name and click, and you'll see "Start a Conversation". You can also do it that way. Just remember to limit the participants to only the person you want to have a conversation with. The PM as described above is probably better.
Why nothing over a 5x 10x loupe? I don't see as well as I used to and I use an illuminated loupe 20x to help me see better details. From my understanding the tpg's use 10x or possibly higher.
The odds of getting ripped off on an ebay auction are exponentially high if you are buying raw coins and newer to numismatics. l would suggest Heritage, Stacks Bowers, Great Collections and a few others. Good coins in graded slabs can be found well below the current market value even with the buyers fees included. Ebay IMO would be the last place to buy especially if you are new to the hobby.
Chuck_A, posted: "Why nothing over a 5x 10x loupe? I don't see as well as I used to and I use an illuminated loupe 20x to help me see better details. From my understanding the tpg's use 10x or possibly higher." AFAIK, Most TPGS graders don't use a hand lens for many coins. Especially those grading the larger coins and "moderns." The ANA recommends 5X. With 20X you only see tiny parts of a coin all at once and it limits the amount of light on the coin. THE ONLY use of a 20X glass - lighted or not - is for micro varieties and authentication. You cannot properly grade a coin with one. I use BOTH a 7X hand lens with incandescent light and a stereo microscope set at 7X with florescent light to examine virtually every coin we get. Btw, if you cannot see the characteristics of a coin's surface with 5X or 10X max, you may have a serious eye problem.
Donna won't be getting ripped off, I put the 1338-P I'm sending her in a cardboard flip so that she knows she's getting a nice coin. In fact it really is a very nice 1938 I'm sending her, nicer than I remembered.
I do have an eye problem and because of diabetes they wouldn't operate, I risked loosing my eyesight altogether and IMO fluorescent lighting is terrible and can cause problems including an epileptic seizure, i've been a master electrician for 33 years, there are many choices of fluorescent lighting in the color spectrum if that is your choice. Thank you.
By you sending a new 1938 coin will not prevent her from being ripped off in the future if her choice is to purchase on eBay. That is a nice thing to do though. Ebay shut down my account yesterday after I was hacked by a seller I reported for fraud, that's 3 times in 4 months. Ebay has removed these people and I'm not stopping reporting them anytime soon.
Very sorry to hear that. Florescent is the ONLY recommended light for coin authentication and locating traces of friction wear on coins. As a coincidence, my grandfather retired as a master electrician for the City of Philadelphia.
Fluorescent lighting can be very harsh (cool white is the most common), I don't have a lot of coins for authentication. There are many shades and colors that are somewhat unnoticeable to the naked eye but can make a big difference. The lighting industry has changed a great deal since I retired. Thanks and good luck to your Grandfather I've never looked at what is recommended for coins.
Man I have a lot to learn. I need another book just on microscopes and light. But that was good information. Thank You. Even though my brain hurts now. Lol
They do make endoscopes out there that can be attached to laptop phone and PC. They can be used for lots of things besides coins, and most come with a built in light and flexible neck for getting in places you could not see otherwise. I believe magnification capabilities are common, if not universal. They are small and portable. Not expensive. I have been wanting to get one, but stalling because I dont have enough background and worried I would pick the wrong one. Almost certain there are people here who can advise.
You must be like that character in the L'il Abner comic strip that walked around with that thunder cloud following him. My eBay account was opened in 1998 and has never been hacked. However, whenever I go to a certain site on the internet I get attacked within seconds, being bombarded with downloads. This doesn't happen to friends who've visited the same site, so there's no need to give a link to it.
