The Official CoinTalk Grading Experiment 4

You'd think so, except that's not the reality.

Reading half the threads on this site will tell you that. Plus many of us have had a coin come back "cleaned" and then had the same coin come back straight graded after a crackout and resubmit - to the exact same experts.

 

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Jaelus, asked: "Since when does the presence of subjectivity preclude there being a standard? [It does not. However, if you EVEN THINK THERE IS A "Standard" - you don't get it. ] Think of graders as judges (in the legal or sports sense) following a standard [Which does not exist except for the myth that one does exist while most will tell you it is different at each TPGS] that must be interpreted and applied with subjectivity."

Razz, posted: "You must at least have a published standard that is OBJECTIVELY applied, otherwise it is all just a subjective opinion. It may well be that modern coin grading is just that, no published standards objectively applied, but totally subjective on what the market will bear (i.e., market grading NOT technical grading)."

Very well said! However...

Jaelus, replied: "That's not how coin grading works. [EXACTLY! you just made the point many of us are trying to convey! ] It's why computers can't grade coins accurately. If we had a standard that could be objectively applied, we would have that already."

IMO, at one time there was a very strict grading standard that was applied with exceptional precision. The keys were it was very strict and all the variables were kept separate from the coins actual condition of preservation from when it left the coin press. Large cent collectors use a similar very strict grading that has changed very little in decades but then they foul it up by deducting (net) for defects.

"Take a statement as simple as "A coin that has been harshly cleaned [Unfortunately, it can be demonstrated by various posts appearing in CT discussions that most folks have no clue what a harshly cleaned coin looks like!]cannot be assigned a grade." [That statement is uninformed so anything that follows is probably going to be …] This involves accurately identifying the appearances of numerous types of cleaning, distinguishing the appearance of cleaning from the appearance of other similar effects that are either different problems or not problems at all (die polish, worn dies, etc.), and having the wisdom [LOL $$$] to know when there may be an old cleaning that is nonetheless market acceptable. This is judging and it's inherently going to be subjective."

Well said after all. Coin grading is very subjective and there are no standards.

 

I know I have!

 

I hear/read that HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. Grades have been known to go up and down for the exact same coin too after different submissions. LOL.

Someone once said that any coin worth grading is worth grading more than once.

I'll add possibly three or four times in many cases.

 

Starting to sound like a company man.

 

The more the merrier says all the TPGSs.

 

Not at all. I'm not saying it is right; just agreeing with both of you.

This situation is to be expected with so much subjectivity, different grading experience, and no standards.

 

64, too much damage to cheek.