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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;19Lyds, post: 2035695, member: 15929&quot;]Here, for your consideration, is a copy of PCGS&#039;s &quot;Strict&quot; Grading standards.</p><p><br /></p><p>PO-1 Identifiable date and type</p><p>FR-2 Mostly worn, though some detail is visible</p><p>AG-3 Worn rims but most lettering is readable though worn</p><p>G-4 Slightly worn rims, flat detail, peripheral lettering nearly full</p><p>G-6 Rims complete with flat detail, peripheral lettering full</p><p>VG-8 Design worn with slight detail</p><p>VG-10 Design worn with slight detail, slightly clearer</p><p>F-12 Some deeply recessed areas with detail, all lettering sharp</p><p>F-15 Slightly more detail in the recessed areas, all lettering sharp</p><p>VF-20 Some definition of detail, all lettering full and sharp</p><p>VF-25 Slightly more definition in the detail and lettering</p><p>VF-30 Almost complete detail with flat areas</p><p>VF-35 Detail is complete but worn with high points flat</p><p>EF-40 Detail is complete with most high points slightly flat</p><p>EF-45 Detail is complete with some high points flat</p><p>EF-45+ Detail is complete with a few high points flat. Superior eye appeal.</p><p>AU-50 Full detail with friction over most of the surface, slight flatness on high points</p><p>AU-50+ Full detail with friction over most of the surface, very slight flatness on high points. Good eye appeal.</p><p>AU-53 Full detail with friction over 1/2 or more of surface, very slight flatness on high points</p><p>AU-53+ Full detail with friction on only 1/2 of surface, extremely slight flatness on high points. Positive eye appeal.</p><p>AU-55 Full detail with friction on less than 1/2 surface, mainly on high points</p><p>AU-55+ Full detail with slight friction on less than 1/2 of surface, on high points. Eye appeal is good.</p><p>AU-58 Full detail with only slight friction on the high points</p><p>AU-58+ Full detail with the barest trace of friction on the highest points. Superior eye appeal.</p><p>MS/PR-60 No wear. May have many heavy marks/hairlines, strike may not be full</p><p>MS/PR-61 No wear. Multiple heavy marks/hairlines, strike may not be full</p><p>MS/PR-62 No wear. Slightly less marks/hairlines, strike may not be full</p><p>MS/PR-62+ No wear. Still slightly above number of marks/hairlines, strike may not be full. Attractive eye appeal for grade.</p><p>MS/PR-63 Moderate number/size marks/hairlines, strike may not be full</p><p>MS/PR-63+ Average number of marks/hairlines, strike will be close to average. Good eye appeal for grade.</p><p>MS/PR-64 Few marks/hairlines or a couple of severe ones, strike should be average or above</p><p>MS/PR-64+ Very few marks/hairlines or a couple of heavier ones, strike should be average or above. Superior eye appeal.</p><p>MS/PR-65 Minor marks/hairlines though none in focal areas, above average strike</p><p>MS/PR-65+ Very minor marks/hairlines though none in focal areas, above average strike and eye appeal</p><p>MS/PR-66 Few minor marks/hairlines not in focal areas, good strike</p><p>MS/PR-66+ Very few minor marks/hairlines not in focal areas, very good strike with superior eye appeal</p><p>MS/PR-67 Virtually as struck with minor imperfections, very well struck</p><p>MS/PR-67+ Virtually as struck with very minor imperfections, very well struck with attractive eye appeal</p><p>MS/PR-68 Virtually as struck with slight imperfections, slightest weakness of strike allowed</p><p>MS/PR-68+ Virtually as struck with very slight imperfections, the strike must be virtually full. Eye appeal must be very good.</p><p>MS/PR-69 Virtually as struck with minuscule imperfections, near full strike necessary</p><p>MS/PR-70 As struck, with full strike</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Please make note of all the &quot;Virtually as Struck&quot; or &quot;As Struck&quot; notations.</p><p><br /></p><p>IMO, there is nothing strict about these standards what so ever as the wording leaves lots and lots of room for &quot;opinion&quot;. Which is really all it is.</p><p><br /></p><p>Make no mistake, the coin market as it exists TODAY is solely because of the TPG Business model combined with the Internet.</p><p><br /></p><p>Before TPG&#039;s, a collector or dealer had to rely solely upon the &quot;opinion&quot; of the person selling the coin(s). Often times, as it is today, those opinions are inflated simply because nobody wants to lose money on a coin transaction.</p><p><br /></p><p>How often does the forum host a thread where the OP disagrees with the assigned TPG grade claiming that, in their opinion, it is too high? (Usually the OP doesn&#039;t own the coin)</p><p><br /></p><p>How often does the forum host a thread where the OP disagrees with the assigned TPG grade claiming that, in their opinion, it is too low? (Usually the OP owns the coin)</p><p><br /></p><p>How often does the forum host a thread where the OP thinks the coin should not have graded due to some flaw? (Usually the OP does not own the coin)</p><p><br /></p><p>How often does the forum host a thread where &quot;others&quot; think the coin should not have graded? (Usually, the OP owns the coin)</p><p><br /></p><p>It&#039;s a market, it&#039;s a business and it&#039;s all based upon how much &quot;hay&quot; which has passed through the digestive system that we are willing swallow.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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