Do You Know How To Grade Coins? Most Collectors Don’t!

Daniel Malone — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:38:24 +0000

More collectors get beat by ebay sellers because they don’t know how to grade coins; ebay is littered with poor pictures and low tier grading services that just want your hard earned cash. Just because a coin is in a holder, doesn’t mean it will make the grade on the label.

Also, poor pictures are no excuse with modern day technology, and bidders should realize this fact. Even the cheapest cameras can take better pictures then some of the coin pictures at ebay, and if the coin dealers on ebay can’t learn to take pics, or is not willing to, then it’s obvious that the seller is possibly hiding something. And obviously doesn’t care to reveal the true nature of the coin, and that translate into not having the best interests of the buyer in mind.

How do collectors thinks that a lower tier, and least respected service will guarantee the grade? It’s simple, they don’t. A collector should not bid on these auctions, because the deal is bad from the start. I get too many emails from disgruntled ebay buyers, that bought the coins in low tier holders, and realized the coin wasn’t even close to the grade

Some have even cracked them out and sent them to PCGS and NGC, and these top two services either body-bagged the coins, because they where cleaned, or graded them several points lower.

Take it from me, I get emails everyday, and these emails are of stories from ebay buyers who bid on supposedly high grade coins in holders, but the coins obviously didn’t make the grade. I have also, myself, been scammed by ebay over graders, and thats the reason I made this grading website, so collectors could learn about grading, and what certain grades look like in online pictures.

Please use my guides to better prepare yourself for buying coins. It will save you money guaranteed.

Buffalo Nickel

Mercury Dime

Walking Liberty Halves

Draped Bust Large Cent

Indian Cent Grades

Braided Head Large Cent