Grading Pieces

[Nicholas Link]

Is there an official system for grading awards, like their is for coins, or are we limited to terms like "minty", "salty", and "Russian horde"?

[Don D.]

Everything is mint or near mint.

[Anthony Evans]

not really a grading system all it is a term

Salty: been around the block a few times. Still in good condition but not factory made. one a point scale i would assume it to be around a 3 or 4 ish

minty: means looks brand new. usually 9 or 10 scale on looking this calls for a higher price.

russian horde is just a term used for where a items coming from, ie russia, usually mint condition

ground dug: means it came from was found in the ground

so if i had to do a rating system

granted each dealer you come across is might be priced differently could be from few bucks to hundreds of bucks depending on the item

damaged 1 -2.9 most would suggest save your money
salty: 3 - 4.9 slightly under average not by much
nice/decent 5-6.9 should be averaged price
Beautiful piece: 7-8.9 might be slightly higher then normal
Mint/amazing:9-10: will be higher by a noticable bit regardless of dealer

[Don D.]

I don't see mega-mint on the list.

[Robert P.]

Dealers, for instance use a grading system, i.e., Weitze uses a grading system:
Zustand 1a: absolutely mint,
" 1: mint,
" 2+:near mint,
" 2: very good,
" 2-3: good,
" 4: forget it, not worth having, moths, corrosion, etc.

Collectors use photos with icons...

Robert

[Robert P.]

OK, I'll quit with the wise-guy....

I think collectors still use a system that started back when all we had was a letter ad which came through the mail, or in the back of some magazine...

Mint(like new), near mint(exc), very good+(vg+), very good(vg), used/worn but good(worn, good), heavily worn,...and into the terms like corroded, repaired, bent, field dug, etc...

Robert

[Gary B]

Dear Nicholas,

Unfortunately there is no standardized grading system for medals.

Richard V and I have brought the subject up of a standardized grading system for medals several times on this and other forums. As you mention, coin grading has been "standardized" mostly over the past several decades. I use the term standardized in quotes since much of grading is subjective. What is one person's Excellent is another person's Very Fine or mint. In an attempt to remove the variances in the standardized grades for coins (Good, Fine, VF, Exc etc) a 70 point grading system was developed. If you are familiar with this 70 point scale you will also know that due to the ever present subjectiveness of grading coins, coin collectors created a 3rd party grading system which has been pretty much accepted by all collectors and dealers. This allows coins to be traded as a comodity on a sight unseen basis. Recently 3rd party grading services have come under attack by the very person who founded the 2 major 3rd party grading systems and now there is a grading service which grades the 3rd party grading services for accuracy.

My original proposal was for collectors to develop a 1-5 or 1-10 scale for condition to be used in conjunction with another scale which rates eye appeal/finish. One of the coin dealers I am familiar with uses this type of scale; one for condition and one which rates the finish/eye appeal on the coin.

Gary B

[Robert P.]

Gary,

So if you had a mint piece (untouched), but with an uneven toning effect, it might rate as such?...1 (being the highest), and perhaps 3 for eye appeal. '1,3'. - on the 1-10 scale.

Robert

[Nicholas Link]

Thanks for the imput, Gents. And yes, Gary, you're right. Up to a point, if a piece is mint or not depends of if you're selling or buying. Seriously, hopefully one day there will be a standardized grading system in place. Until then, I guess I'll try to stick close to Weitze's method. Thaks again.

[Gary B]

Dear Robert,

Yes. The condition rating would be for highlight wear, dings etc. The eye appeal would rate finish or toning. The 70 point system in coins only grades condition. Finish/eye appeal is described verbally and, of course is subject to the grader. But eye appeal would have an impact on pricing as does condition. For example one would be more inclined to pay a higher price for a mint conditioned/finshed GWL Pilot badge compared to a mint conditioned pilot badge which has aweful toning, i.e. black splotches/fingerprints etc.

In coins some people prefer a brilliant whte finish, just as it left the mint, whereas some collectors like/prefer toned coins. Toning can be beautiful and actually enhance the value of a coin multiple times of a regular white coin. A badly toned coin can have the reverse effect. Of course the toning grade is subjective and "beauty is in the eye of the beholder".

Gary B

[Robert P.]

Dear Robert,

Yes. The condition rating would be for highlight wear, dings etc. The eye appeal would rate finish or toning. The 70 point system in coins only grades condition. Finish/eye appeal is described verbally and, of course is subject to the grader. But eye appeal would have an impact on pricing as does condition. For example one would be more inclined to pay a higher price for a mint conditioned/finshed GWL Pilot badge compared to a mint conditioned pilot badge which has aweful toning, i.e. black splotches/fingerprints etc.

In coins some people prefer a brilliant whte finish, just as it left the mint, whereas some collectors like/prefer toned coins. Toning can be beautiful and actually enhance the value of a coin multiple times of a regular white coin. A badly toned coin can have the reverse effect. Of course the toning grade is subjective and "beauty is in the eye of the beholder".

Gary B

Understood, yes. I like this system. I think we could adapt to it quite easily, Gary. Again, there are those who would place their 8's to a '10' out of optimism, but I think we'll always have this quirk.

Robert