Numismatic and History Discussion Forums > Ancient Coin Forum

Speaking of Grading

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Virgil H:
There was a recent discussion of grading here that I can't find at the moment. But, I was watching a few lots tonight in an auction and just got my post auction email telling me how much other people outbid me. Obviously, I didn't get any of them and they weren't even close to the big dollar coins. I never noticed this before, but my summary includes the grades. The coins, all ancients (one was early Byzantine), I was following had the grades assigned as noted below. Note that I do not recall seeing these grades when I was perusing the coins themselves, although many if not all were NCG encapsulated and those grades must have been noted somewhere. For encapsulated coins I look at, I never look at photos of them in the encapsulations unless those are the only photos available because the encapsulations hides things. Buyer beware is all I have to say.

-VG8
-AU50
-AU50
-XF45
-AU50

Honestly, I have no clue what any of these really mean and none of them are close to anything I would call AU and the VG8 is probably closest to reality, but no way it is that good.

This is what I was talking about with my dislike of ancient grading. All these are over graded. I guess it drives up the prices. Good for sellers and auction houses, bad for collectors.

Virgil

Virgil H:
Just to clarify, I just looked again and all are NCG grades it looks like. NCG is going to ruin the hobby if we allow it.

Virgil

Jay GT4:
I noticed this too.  I think they are catering to new collectors and modern coin collectors. I have no idea what all those letters and numbers mean as I've never collected modern or world coins.  For me it comes down to eye appeal.  Do I like it enough to bid or pay more.  That's it.  I've never paid much attention to the grade and it doesn't factor into my decision. 

Virgil H:
I totally agree with you and that would be fine except over the past year or so, ancient coin prices seem to have gone through the roof. I am getting priced out on things I used to be able to afford. I guess that is my problem, but is this real supply and demand or artificial? I don't know. My heirs might be thrilled when they sell the coins I currently have, but I am also starting to get fewer and fewer. so it probably screws them in the end. LMAO. It just seems like prices have gone up way more quickly than normal. I think this numerical grading BS that applies to modern coins and is being pushed by graders and probably all sellers is exerting an abnormal influence. As I have said before, I have no idea the difference between an AU45 and AU50 other than when it gets sold to me it will be an AU50 and when I want to sell it to them it will be far less than that. It is a bad game to me that I just don't want ancients to fall into.

Virgil

Meepzorp:
Hi folks,

This is a sad development. It has the potential to be transformative for the hobby, in a negative way, of course.

Meepzorp

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