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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Kirkuleez, post: 1498541, member: 36864&quot;]Hi Alspride, I see your mission to learn how to grade is ongoing.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>For your first question.&nbsp; To make it simple, we will only consider MS coins.&nbsp; The difference between hairlines and contact marks is quite simple.&nbsp; Contact marks are made during the minting process and in the delivery of coins as they strike each other.&nbsp; Here is a good example.</p><p>[ATTACH]191735.vB[/ATTACH]</p><p>As you can see, this otherwise beautiful Morgan dollar with its proof-like surface took a beating during its life.&nbsp; It is hard to say if these contact marks were made during the minting process where the coin left the dies and fell into a pile where other coins fell on to it, or while in a bag moving around during transportation.&nbsp; But one thing is for sure, these contact marks make an otherwise beautiful coin ugly.</p><p><br /></p><p>Hairlines are a bit more difficult to define due to how they are created.&nbsp; They can be made by the simple brush of a piece of fabric or created during a harsh cleaning.&nbsp; Hairlines will usually be in a group where many hairlines will run parallel to each other.&nbsp; Here is an example of hairlines.</p><p>[ATTACH]191736.vB[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>No matter what the cause, hairlines can effect the grade considerably (especially when it comes to grading proofs) and to the point of making a coin ungradeable due to harsh cleaning.</p><p><br /></p><p>Another thing to consider along these lines is album slide marks.&nbsp; Sadly, this damage is done exclusivity by collectors.&nbsp; These marks are created when a collector puts a coin into an album which has plastic slides covering both sides of a coin.&nbsp; The lines will be directly horizontal and parallel of the base of the coin.&nbsp; </p><p>[ATTACH]191739.vB[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>These marks be be easily avoided by inserting your coins into the album and pushing them all the way down before sliding the slide into place.</p><p><br /></p><p>For your second question, you went to the correct guide for learning focal points.&nbsp; Although it does not give focal points for every coin ever produced, you will see a pattern in what is considered primary focal points.&nbsp; Really, you are the best guide.&nbsp; Consider what is the first thing that you look at when you look at a coin.&nbsp; That is the primary focal point.&nbsp; It is the same for art or anything else.&nbsp; There is always one thing that will draw your to it.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>For your third question, sorry I can be of no help as I have the same issues going on.&nbsp; My avatar coin is a PCGS PR-65, surely it should look better.</p><p><br /></p><p>For your fourth question, stay away from that seller or any other seller that just so happens to have only toned coins that all have the same type and coloration of toning.&nbsp; This seller in particular, all of their coins look artificially toned to me.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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