A Grading Question

[SPHansen]

... cuz I is a noob

 

It has been awhile since I last posted, but I've been quietly busy in the background. I have collected 1970 Mint Sets, specifically to get the 70D Kennedys. Now that I have them, I have a question about assessing them before sending them info grading. I'm not sure if I should remove them from the plastic and then assess them, or leave them in and keep the integrity of the sets. What should I do? And if left in the OGP, how does one look past the packaging to figure out what the grade is? Would love some guidance... thanks!

 

See more journals by SPHansen

[dooly]

Hi i did that with the 1971 sets .. and i had to open them all and put a little sticker under them and mark on them a dash for each problem i could see then sent in all the 0 coins mind i did do about 70 sets

[Jack Robinson]

Hello....I too am a Newbee at grading my sets.

 

I agree with Dooley that you should break open the sets and then find a way to grade the coins similar to his method. You can not get a true, hands-on, and detailed view of the coin while in the packing. IMHO.

 

I am only starting my Set collections and do not have piles of certain dates but, do have a nice spread from the late 50s to 1999, or so.

 

Dooly, for learning purposes can you give us a feedback as to how many - 0s - went for grading and what were their final grades, compared to yours?

 

 

[SPHansen]

So.. here's what I did:

 

I opened one set and examined the half... lots of dings. I then looked at another set through the plastic, and was able to easily see the major dings on the coins. I thought if I just identify the major problems, I could avoid cutting them out, which worked very well. I found that there are some common ding patterns associated with the coin, and I learned just why there are few high graded examples. The Mint did not use care when packaging these, and it shows. I don't think I saw anything over MS63, even in the sets still sealed in their envelopes (in fact, these were worse than the opened sets!). Of all the sets I collected, I don't think there are any really worthy of being send in for grading. If I ever find a set that passes the first examination, I'll cut it out and give it a second examination...

 

I will now start my examination for FS Jeffersons and FT Roosies

 

 

[bgs9man]

I agree with SPHansen comments. Rick Tomaska, author of Franklin and Kennedy Halfs, says that coins in these mint sets are often filled with marks and scratches because the coin moves around in the pkg. Also remember, when coin graders grade coins they use halogen lamps, much brighter than the typical light bulb, which reveal more flaws than probably the incandescent bulb that you are using to look at your coins.