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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;dougsmit, post: 1857027, member: 19463&quot;]It is a nice coin; that was never in question.&nbsp; The question is how to apply grading standards that are woefully inadequate to the coin.&nbsp; I originally posted VF 4/4 and they said VF 4/5 which is amazingly close by my standards.&nbsp; I downgraded the coin due to the two cracks and minor fissures across the reverse surface. They did not let such things bother them.&nbsp;&nbsp; In all honesty, I might be inclined to use the services of NGC if they did not use those plastic coffins and if they did not charge so much for opinions without warranties.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>IMHO a VF coin should have fully separated laurel wreath elements but requires no detail within the leaves.&nbsp; This one barely qualifies but I decided the cause was a bit of flat strike so I dropped the first numeral to a 4.&nbsp;&nbsp; The obverse is a definite 5 surface but most sestertii of this period have metal issues like the ones on this reverse.&nbsp; If we call this a 5, what do we call a coin with no fissures?&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>For the record, I consider the $200 a bit on the high side but not at all out of line considering some of the absolute junk I see offered for that much and more.&nbsp; This is a very nice coin and does not need inflated grading to make it a winner.</p><p><br /></p><p>A related question:&nbsp; The coin is weighed to .01g but slabbed so it can not again be weighed.&nbsp; Has anyone ever weighed a NGC coin after it was freed?&nbsp; I have owned two scales supposedly accurate to .01 and I own two reference 50g weights for use calibrating scales.&nbsp; The two weights are .06 different in weight from each other and the scales differ but by different amounts depending on what range they are weighing.&nbsp; I&#039;m not sure it is reasonable to expect a cheap scale to be any more accurate at .01 level but wonder especially about the weight being so sloppy.&nbsp;&nbsp; If you want your eyes opened on such things, look at your US 5 cent coins that are supposed to weigh 5.000g (three 0&#039;s).&nbsp; Don&#039;t weigh old worn coins just new looking ones.&nbsp; One digit would have been plenty.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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