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Message:: [QUOTE="GDJMSP, post: 418842, member: 112"]To a large degree, it is just the marks making the difference. But that is because with the coins you mentioned, in those mid grades, luster and eye appeal are generally equal on most of the coins. But note that I say generally. There are examples where a coin can have booming luster and be graded as 63 because it simply has too many marks in the wrong places. But if it didn't have that booming luster it might have been graded as a 62 or 61. Another coin might have a lot of marks and extraordinary toning and be graded a 63. But if it didn't have the toning to give it extra eye appeal it might have been graded a 61 or 62. The point I am making is that all of the criteria are important, but at times 1 criteria being exceptionally good can make up for another criteria being not so good and thus change the grade. By the same token, all of the criteria being average can keep a coin from grading higher. Or 1 criteria being a bit worse than average can keep a coin from grading higher even when all the others are excellent. But in the grades you mention - 63-65 - the luster, eye appea and hairlines are pretty much all going to be equal as a general rule. So that is why contact marks are generally the deciding factor - because they are what varies the most.[/QUOTE]