Re: Grading Question

[coinman_23885]

Can anyone provide me with any advice about grading 3 cent silver pieces? For instance, what are the grade limiting factors on the following coin, and why did the coin only receive a grade of MS62?

 

[FishyOne]

Pretty coin. Strike, luster, eye appeal and the number/magnitude of contact marks should get you pretty close to an assigned MS grade.

 

I am not familiar with grading 3cs pieces but 62 does sound low from what I see here.

 

I wonder if PCGS actually bumped this piece to MS on strong eye appeal and it's really an AU58 piece? Just a thought.

[James_OldeTowne]

PCGS "trueview" images are about the worst possible pictures one can have of a coin. It is impossible to make any grade determination whatsoever from that photo!

 

Do you have a "truer" image of the coin that we can see?

[Coindude]

I'll tell you, either you get the color of a coin, or you get the surface characteristics. I'm thinking they got the color on this one. Wait till you see it in hand to make the decision on this one.

[coinman_23885]

PCGS "trueview" images are about the worst possible pictures one can have of a coin. It is impossible to make any grade determination whatsoever from that photo!

 

Do you have a "truer" image of the coin that we can see?

 

Not yet; I just purchased the piece and I was relying on the TrueView photograph. I thought these were reliable.

 

P.S. Are you still doing the photo certificates?

[MarkFeld]

That coin could grade up to MS67 or so, based upon the images provided. Said another way, I would bet that there are a number of grade limiting imperfections which are not apparent in the pictures.

 

Not yet; I just purchased the piece and I was relying on the TrueView photograph. I thought these were reliable.

Other than in the case of circulated coins, images are hardly ever "reliable". By "reliable", I mean with respect to showing a coin's true condition and appearance, the way they appear through an in-hand inspection.

[James_OldeTowne]

PCGS "trueview" images are about the worst possible pictures one can have of a coin. It is impossible to make any grade determination whatsoever from that photo!

 

Do you have a "truer" image of the coin that we can see?

 

Not yet; I just purchased the piece and I was relying on the TrueView photograph. I thought these were reliable.

 

P.S. Are you still doing the photo certificates?

I am!

 

As Mark somewhat alluded, the TrueViews can take an MS-60 coin and make it look like MS-67+. I have sometimes cynically wondered if PCGS intentionally makes their TrueView imagers deceptive so that PCGS coins being sold over then 'net from TrueView images will look (much) nicer than they really are.

 

I would never even consider purchasing a coin based solely on a TrueView image.

 

Here is one of my favorite TrueView threads , partly because our late board member IGWT and I had some humorous exchange in the thread and via PM.

 

I also started this thread , but it didn't actually go very far.

[coinman_23885]

That coin could grade up to MS67 or so, based upon the images provided.

 

That was my thought. I think I will wait until I have the coin in hand. If I like the coin, I'll send it off for proper professional imaging.

[coinman_23885]

PCGS "trueview" images are about the worst possible pictures one can have of a coin. It is impossible to make any grade determination whatsoever from that photo!

 

I was probably a bit naive in believing that a grading service would take accurate photos!

[MarkFeld]

PCGS "trueview" images are about the worst possible pictures one can have of a coin. It is impossible to make any grade determination whatsoever from that photo!

 

I was probably a bit naive in believing that a grading service would take accurate photos!

You're still being "a bit naive" if you think images (regardless of their source) can serve as an accurate substitute for in-hand examination of a coin, particularly an uncirculated or Proof example.

[TomB]

It is my understanding that the PCGS imaging service allows for at least some input by the owner of the coin in determining how the shots will be taken, which means that by human nature quite a few coins will look nicer in images than in-hand. Regardless, the coin might be covered in hairlines for all we know since images cannot capture everything.