Market grading?
Bremick
key date coins. Check it out at full magnification. Unbelievable in a PCGS
slab!
Gary
> This seems to be an over-the-top example of market grading (or whatever) of
> key date coins. Check it out at full magnification. Unbelievable in a PCGS
> slab!
>
You would never look at this coin under such magnification. PCGS
grades coins
as they appear under normal viewing conditions
Frank Provasek
>
> It doesn't take much magnification to see the grafitti-like chatter all over
> this coin's obverse. Are you suggesting that PCGS simply holds a coin up to
> the light and gives it a grade using the naked eye?
A single photo can make marks show up that practically disappear with
a change in
tilt or lighting. The grading services err on the side of caution,
since they have to buy back
their overgrades. Grading services generally do not use magnification
when grading
coins, but only to check for altered dates or added mintmarks and
such,
The coin probably meets PCGS standards for the grade...
MS-63 - Mint luster may be slightly impaired. Numerous small contact
marks, and a few scattered heavy marks may be seen. Small hairlines
are visible without magnification. Several detracting scuff marks or
defects may be present throughout the design or in the fields. The
general quality is about average, but overall the coin is rather
attractive.
Bremick
"Frank Provasek" <fr...@frankcoins.com> wrote in message
news:d2320120-0410-4da4...@n16g2000vbg.googlegroups.com...
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IMO, those weren't small contact marks or a few scattered heavy marks in the
field in front of the portrait. There were many heavy marks in the prime
viewing area along with others scattered throughout the obverse. I haven't
sent a BU Morgan for slabbing by PCGS in over five years. My last one
(1878-CC) received a MS63 likely because of two or three contact marks
buried in the portrait that would not have been visible without
magnification. The obverse fields were virtually mark-free, the reverse was
near perfect, and the strike was exceptionally sharp. I thought it hard to
believe there could still be seven better grade levels. Although there's no
way to tell when the eBay coin was slabbed, grading BU coins has apparently
become much more liberal over the past five years. Ironically, it may be a
good time now to submit a couple raw BU Morgans that I thought would barely
rate an MS60 due to contact marks.
oly
I thought there were some heavy "chatter" marks in prime focal areas,
but I can't be too surprised at the grade. The lustre is nice enough
too. Also, Peace Dollars are simply a lot more difficult to grade
than Morgans.
I would call this an "after a good luncheon" coin. The graders did it
first thing in the afternoon, following a really good lunch. They
were in a good mood and happy with the world. It was almost nap time.
oly
Bremick
"oly" <oly...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:25f95b14-da11-4dfd...@y3g2000vbm.googlegroups.com...
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I guess so. I wouldn't be surprised if whoever sent the coin to be slabbed
was pleasantly surprised at the result. I sure would be. This also
reinforces the notion that key dates get more liberal grading, but then I
suppose that's the jist of "market grading".