What do you expect "High Grade" to mean?

I wonder what sellers mean when the write that an item is "high grade". For some sellers, I get a feel for it, others use it more liberally, and others use it more conservatively. I always look at the pictures, but sometimes the pictures are not clear enough, so I end up asking the seller. But then, I'd have to clearly understand what the seller means when describing the coins. Sometimes, they have such a large inventory that they can't attend to such a request. It'd be a risk to buy, but it may be worthwhile.

So, what grade range do you expect when a seller uses the term "high grade"? AU-50 or higher? MS-6X grades only? AU-58+?

Again, this would be to set expectations when it's still confusing after performing buyers' due diligence.

Thanks in advance!

 

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Its all marketing hype. "High Grade" is right up there with "LQQK!!!!" and "PQ+++!!!!"

It means nothing.

 

But when a seller uses it, what do you not expect?

Would you reasonably consider XF and below to not fall under the category of "high grade"? Would you be more strict to say that AU should not fall under that category, too?

 

It depends. If it's eBay, I expect "high grade" to mean roughly the same as "BU," by which I mean "buffed up," or "butt ugly." From a seller I trust, "high grade" means something entirely different.

Depending on the coin, it can mean XF or better, AU or better, UNC, MS63 or better, etc.

 

Do you think that buyers should reasonably expect XF or better, at worst, after performing due diligence and still being unable to determine a grade?

 

Don't forget "WOW!" The term high-grade gives a seller wiggle room in peddling his coin. That's one of the reasons for numerical grading.

 

Unless coins are graded and slabbed by third tier or below TPG's, right?

Then we treat them as raw... their MS6X numerical grades would be the equivalent of "high grade" in that situation, not to mention whether it's a details grade or not.

 

I get this, but I see the grading scale as an objective criteria that should be absolute. I don't believe that TPGs are at that point now, as everything is, even to a small degree, subjective no matter how you look at it. So, from a subjective point of view, there should be some reasonable wiggle room for the given grades, but not by much.

For older coins such as the Seated Liberties that you mention, if someone says "high grade", I expect exactly that sight unseen. Of course, I'll take a look at the photos. If it turns out to be XF or even F for very rare coins, I wonder why the seller couldn't simply use the phrase "higher grade", which would imply both the relatively high grade to others (in this example, esp. given its availability/rarity though not necessarily the case with other coins), and that it's not "high grade" as in MS6X territory, but somewhere in the range of XF-AU.

 

I have seen people with cleaned AG and G coins, saying "HIGH GRADE++++" To me it means absolutely nothing. As Einstein said, everything is relative.

 

I don't not expect anything, because the term is meaningless. Someone who's used to seeing slick Wheaties will use "high grade!!!!" to describe his VG '41D.

It's just a marketing term used to sucker in the naive.

 

What numeric grade range is considered as "high grade" for NGC / PCGS?

 

I feel like we are going around in circles....

THE TERM IS MEANINGLESS.

NGC and PCGS will grade everything from 1 to 70.

 

When I learned to grade in the dark ages, a high grade was XF or AU up to Uncirculated. However, back then an XF coin had tons of luster and little wear because the AU grade had just come into existence. Today, I should expect any coin listed as high grade to fit the XF/AU range but the coins will not look/be as nice as in the old days.

ToughCoins brought up an interesting point that some consider a coin to be "high grade" for the type/date etc. So a coin like an 1846 Half Dime may be called high grade as a VF.

Clear as Mud too?

 

Regarding TPGS: Never heard/read it expressed anywhere.

 

Still looking for your book...Wizard does not have it so Amazon will.

 

It is only available on Amazon. The link is in my signature below.

 

Any use of the imprecise description "high grade" must be one of two things. 1) In marketing a coin on eBay, it is usually an intent to deceive while staying within eBay's rules. 2) When used in a reputable setting, such as by a trusted known dealer or in a major firm auction catalog, it refers to a coin that is nicer than those that are usually seen of the same type, date and variety.

Here's an example: I own what I feel is a "high grade" 1970-S small date NGC-certified cent. What does that mean to you? Mine is an MS66RD. Now, do you agree? What about a 65? A 63? Or should one need a 67 to be high grade? Consider that a 67 is a fairly crummy modern proof coin. See the problem? Even while trying to use the term honestly, it drips with ambiguity.

 

I have 11 high grade 2007-P Sac Dollars in NGC MS67, but I sold all of my 14 higher grade 2007-P Sac Dollars in NGC MS68.

Chris

 

In my opinion, any 2007-P Sac dollar NOT in satin finish (which would be SP and not MS) above 65 would qualify as high grade. 65? No. 66 and up? Yes.