Another Chink in the PCGS Armor...or "Minimum 2 graders always USED at PCGS"

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Earle42
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Another Chink in the PCGS Armor...or "Minimum 2 graders always USED at PCGS"

#1 Unread post by Earle42 »

So we all know that PCGS uses a minimum of three graders to look at each coin right?

Uh uh.

A minimum two are always used.

But is this technically a lie by PGS to say otherwise. Well...nope, but definitely a marketing trick and misleading b/c of human nature.

I missed something major as there have been many times as I have read/quoted "3-4 graders."
sheepish.jpg
Why are the number of slab errors from PCGS larger than the marketing manipulated mindset (that's me and you until we do homework) would hope for?

From PCGS:
Under the boldfaced heading of "GRADING" It says,
https://www.pcgs.com/pcgs-grading-process-video

"at minimum, 3-4 graders are assigned to every coin for grading and verification.
Whoa_There.jpg
Whoa_There.jpg (110.99 KiB) Viewed 3438 times
Three to four graders are assigned, but 3-4 minimum do not grade/inspect/handle each coin!

PCGS uses the word "assignment" a bit differently than I used the term in my classrooms. PCGS graders assigned to a coin may never even see/grade the coin. For some reason I never had a student question me if the homework I assigned him/her was optional! Hmmm...clever marketing department 😡


Further down the page:
7th paragraph down:
"...Once Grader #1 has completed grading the order, the order is redistributed for Grader #2 to provide their grade and so forth. Each grader is not privy to the opinion of the other graders on any of the coins within that order."

8th paragraph:
"If" the opinion of the first two graders does not match, that coin will be assigned to a 3rd grader whose opinion is required to “break the tie.” As a PCGS standard, the coin would still be assigned to yet a 4th grader for verification to make sure the grade is accurate and consistent.

So...here we have proof that 3rd graders and 4th graders are employed by PCGS to grade coins right? 😜
(Oops, man I could make a good "reporter" for CNN, MSNBC etc.)

No, not 3rd and 4th graders, but we do see that a "minimum 3-4" graders are not always seeing every coin.

And that fact is clearly stated by PCGS...um...after/(if) someone (anyone actually) reads the page far enough down the page to see a minimum 3-4graders are assigned, but not necessarily used.


The main points to all of this:
Methinks 2 graders are more likely to make the same mistake than all three.

And...if the first two make the same mistake, then the mistake is never looked at/found by grader#3
...who, nonetheless, was "assigned" but didn't have to look at the coin according to the PCGS business model.

1. Methinks marketing is doing its job well.
2. Gray area methinks as well.
3. Methinks from now on I think I will refer to error slabs as being 2 grader slabs vs 3 grader slabs.

Personally I would like to have seen the entire three paragraphs shortened into:
Two graders will see your coin independently. If their opinions are different, a third will break the tie and then a 4th will also be assigned (so what happens if 3 and 4 do not agree?).


BTW - watch the PCGS video for yourself that woke me up to seeing what I had read before and not thought of:
PCGS's Grading Process Video
Common grading company shortcomings & resulting co$tly mi$take$ to collectors (using Kennedy No FG halves):
https://tinyurl.com/y7rksxu8

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Re: Another Chink in the PCGS Armor...or "Minimum 2 graders always USED at PCGS"

#2 Unread post by Daniel »

No way do they have time for more than one grader to look at every coin that comes through, they can't do that silver eagle season let alone all year. I can see a committee on 1893 S that will grade AU or more, but not all these coins people are sending in.

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Re: Another Chink in the PCGS Armor...or "Minimum 2 graders always USED at PCGS"

#3 Unread post by Earle42 »

I agree with the silver eagle season comment. Too bad there is no way to know how many monster boxes are sent in to do the math.

But...now we know its actually more accurate to say 2 graders per coin.

I started a write up on the perception of vs the actual PCGS "guarantee" (my added quotations are appropriate), but I have other pressing projects calling for me. Some day...
Common grading company shortcomings & resulting co$tly mi$take$ to collectors (using Kennedy No FG halves):
https://tinyurl.com/y7rksxu8

How much squash would a sasquatch squash if a sasquatch would squash squash?

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