grading books

[true_grade]

I was wondering which grading books anyone here uses or prefers?

 

When buying coins or helping people with their coins I use the Photograde book to show them why the coin is what it is. I use this one due to its pics and simple discriptions and then use the ANA Grading Standard book as a "backup" to better help with the reasoning.

 

My confusion is this; It seems that Photograde is a little more lax in grading a coin versus the ANA book. Or is it just my imagination and they way each book has used different wording/pics. It usually seems to be the lower end stuff that has differnces (which is what most OTC have to offer).

 

No big deal, just curious.

[coinman1794]

With certain coins, like the pre-1836 coins listed in both books, it's not possible to fully represent what each grade should look like, because every single die variety in pre-1836 coinage wears differently, even if it is the same design. Therefore, the early-coin pictures are useless in these books. To further complicate things in the pre-1836 pictures, a number of the coins pictured would not certify to the grade they are pictured as.

 

Now, with later issues and 20th century issues, the pictures are a lot more useful, and it is good to cross-reference the two books.

[BillJones]

I much prefer the ANA Grading Guide to Photograde. Maybe there have been some new editions of Photograde, but the editions that I have seen did not cover every type, and it seemed that almost all of the early coins (pre 1807) had some sort of damage. I also think the Photograde has lower standards.

[paigow_johnny]

I use them both...Photograde to get a general idea, and then ANA to make the final call, especially if it's a tougher call...