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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;bahabully, post: 1066740, member: 17555&quot;]good points...&nbsp; I do think TPG&#039;s offer a service in this knock-off nafta world, and I&#039;d never consider purchasing a raw BU 1909S VDB cent, or other high grade $$$$ coin unless it was certified (and I verified the TPG holder also).&nbsp;&nbsp; And for &quot;Very&quot; high $ coins in the 5 figure range, I&#039;d only purchase from reputable dealers.... just too much downside if you get burned there.</p><p>As to TPG accuracy, it&#039;s probably closer than I could do from coin to coin given the subjectivity of grading, so yield to thier grades.&nbsp;&nbsp; That said, I have noticed differernce&#039;s between grading services where one may grade more conservatively than the other....&nbsp;&nbsp; and I adjust my buying patterns and what I pay for each accordingly....&nbsp; This sometimes presents opportunity $$ as a collector, and makes the hobby more interesting and fun (at least to me).&nbsp;&nbsp; I use to LOVE searching through the SEGS, PCI, etc. holders on the &#039;bay years ago.. and have many &quot;undergraded&quot; coins in those holders because folks didn&#039;t appreciate thier ability to undergrade as well as overgrade (which was thier bias).&nbsp;&nbsp; Anyway, ask an old dealer what he&#039;d give for a 1934-D MS66 cent graded by NGC, and then for one by PCGS....&nbsp;&nbsp; there&#039;s a difference.&nbsp;&nbsp; The only gripe I have is that it&#039;s so well known, so little potential for us collectors to play the variability to our advantage..... bring on more TPG&#039;s !!! the more variability, the BETTER !!</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>To truely drive out variability the TPG&#039;s would have to create more definitive grading criteria,,, it&#039;s toooo subjective now.&nbsp; &nbsp; Grades should be delimited by specific attributes which are &quot;measurable&quot; (nics by #, location, magnitude.... strike by relief in distance to field from specific locations on the design.... luster by lumen&#039;s of reflection at given angels.. etc..)&nbsp;&nbsp; These attributes could be validated by a collector if desired, and the TPG&#039;s held accountable to them.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; The downside:&nbsp; Expensive new measuring equipment, set up and associated operator training, TPG grader&#039;s would have to spend more than 30 seconds per coin.. so grading services would likely go even further north (if that&#039;s possible ; ).... but from a grading &quot;purity&quot; standpoint, that&#039;s the best I can think of.,,,, maybe toss in a star class also, to provide for the &quot;eye appeal&quot; and other subjective attributes.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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