Provocative thoughts

[autocoupler]

:angel: I know many posters here are pro Third Party Grading, and without trying to stir the pot :dodgy: I just can't get my head around how it's sustainably viable to be forking out ridiculous sums of money to foriegners for them to apply their OPINIONS on grading to our coins.

It's just crazy in my opinion for us to be accepting a fee structure based on a coins value, let alone a system of grading that offers a sliding scale for Almost Uncirculated, au53 - 55 - 58. In any sense of the word, au should only be attributed to a coin that is considered to be just touched off being UNC, not something that is just touched off from being just touched off from being just touched off :dash1: No doubt about it though, any code beginning with au is far better than EF, and the only winners in all of this is the TPG's in my opinion. :blush:

I noticed recently that Klause Ford had his own version of slabbed coins advertised in CAB magazine, which were graded using the adjectival sytem that he is a proponent of. This begged the question of what system would be more reliable and cost effective if indeed a local and respected expert with many years experience decided to offer a similar service to say PCGS, but using the adjectival method of grading?

Under the local system, au would mean au and nothing less or more, and as it is now, would be preceded by EF and good EF and as such, taking care of the comperable Sheldon grades of XF whatever through to au 53 and 55 etc. And as happens now, the UNC and Choice UNC to GEM grades would takes care of themselves, with dollars being the deciding factor, just as happens now with the sheldon system.

I'm probably stacking up as anti TPG, but only because I'm pro Aussie, and totally at odds with the B.S. thrown up as positives for the TPG way, particularly with the inconsistancy between the two main contenders as well as what I thought were crap grades attributed to some coins from the Bench Mark collection.

Just my opinion. :heart:

[JeffH]

Not anti TPG but pro Aussie. I hope that doesn't mean you endorse APCGS. :laughingneqw:

[nealeffendi]

There have been a couple of respected dealers involved in slabbing before. Problems are that there are not enough local coins to make a viable go of it. Plus we already have had problems with foreign TPGs not understanding the nuances of aussie coins (like Perth rainbow pennies); so do you think a local slabber would be any good at identifying the nuances (and the fakes) of foreign coins?
Biggest strong point for using PCGS (and maybe the also rans) is that they are generally better than most dealers in picking cleaned/dipped coins AND they don't have any self serving interest that blights many dealers in buying an EF coin as VF and selling as Unc.
Still, other than generally trusting them to pick the duds it still comes down to the buyer to spot the wow coins in a slab from the meh coins in the same grade.

[autocoupler]

Not anti TPG but pro Aussie. I hope that doesn't mean you endorse APCGS. :laughingneqw:

Well, I wouldn't gong anyone out when looking for or at a coin just based on the holder, the coin is all that matters. :scratch_one-s_head:

[drakesterling]

It doesn't matter who is doing the grading, so long as their standard is well-respected by the broadest amount of market participants. Autocoupler, notwithstanding your view on PCGS, PCGS uses is a globally recognised system of grading that has a generally positive reputation across the global market. By way of example, even if coin dealer "Joe King" is considered the most consistent grader in the history of numismatics, nobody in London or New York or Hong Kong has heard of him. And even if PCGS grades less consistently than Joe King, I would still prefer PCGS over Joe King because of the global brand that PCGS has and Joe King does not. Coins are globally traded, and it would be a mistake, in my view, to reinvent the wheel with a small Australian operation that would have no reputation overseas and uses an unfamiliar grading system that is only used in Australia.

[autocoupler]

even if coin dealer "Joe King" is considered the most consistent grader in the history of numismatics, nobody in London or New York or Hong Kong has heard of him.

So what you're saying is we should just accept what's thrown up and not seek to expect something that could be better. There are many success stories in busness and industry that provide evidence to the contrary.

In my opinion, if a small enterprise (by world standards) Joe Bloggs Coin Grading, when compared with big brother Blind Faith Blockers, is consistantly found to provide a value for money service with a reputation for supplying superior coins, it won't be long before serious investors with deep pockets world wide will be seeking out his offerings of Australiana.

In my opinion, serious collectors spending serious money would show no loyalty to the big operator when in search of the best coins.

Lots of opinions I know, but don't we all?

[trout]

Just a thought but "Joe Bloggs" could set up something like CAC and give a ruling on a slabbed coin regardless of who slabs it .
I can just see it now , WOW this has a Jo Blogs "Bean" on it must be Kosher.
Its Not the grading that is in question with PCGS It's the attribution that needs Australian expertise, After all both PCGS and NGC grade a coin according to wear or lack of it and how the coin has been treated/stored'
I have got used to the 70 point "Sheldon" system and it is more flexible than the anda system as far as giving a coin a true and accurate grade IMHO.

[autocoupler]

Just a thought but "Joe Bloggs" could set up something like CAC and give a ruling on a slabbed coin regardless of who slabs it .

:yahoo: Love this discussion. That would be very much akin to the attempted claiming of the righteous and technical high ground by proponents of the current TPG's.

From the point of view of a devils advocate, I'm not exactly sure which is best, but we certainly must not continue down the path of the great Aussie cultural cringe, and accept everything foreign is better. And lets not be lured away from at least looking for a better way.

The world would still be sitting around chewing on inferior European wines if the Australian wine industry had not persisted a few short decades ago.