Setting the Record Straight re my 1925 6P MS63

[ALJADA 10]

In another thread now locked, a comment was made regarding the 1925 6P MS63 I have on offer on BOB. It was said that this coin was incorrectly graded because there is definite wear on the obverse due to certain high points being discoloured as can be seen in pic 1:

 

 

This is not evidence of wear it is simply the beginning of some toning which was accentuated by the angle of the light. In order to further prove that there is no wear on this coin I have added the following pictures which show each and every high point on the obverse of this coin as being 100% in tact and without any evidence of wear:

 

 

Note the medallions across the chest are undisturbed as too is the eyebrow which is so defined it is unequivocally undisturbed and perfect.

 

 

This is as close as I can get with my camera and it begins to blur from hereon. Note how sharp the moustache is which is the first place in which wear can be evidenced in most cases. Here it is as struck and without any flaws!!! Once again the eyebrow shows the same sharp detail as with the pic before.

 

 

Here we see the famous and most inspected area of GEOV, the crown pearls, seen here as fully intact and clearly without any evidence of wear!! Note once again how untouched the eyebrow is!!

 

 

 

The final picture shows an overall condition which is quite clearly high grade mint state. Grading comments should be left to those who know what they are talking about!!

 

Cheers

Alex

[Guest Guest]

Hi Alex

 

It certainly is a great coin and I am sure that you will get a good price for it now that it has received such coverage!

 

As the saying goes, any publicity is good publicity!

 

Kind regards

 

Scott Balson

[ALJADA 10]

Hi Scott,

 

Thank you for your comments they are most welcome.

 

I agree that any publicity is great but more important to me was merely to set the record straight regarding this coin. I never list coins that are in my opinion overgraded but if I do, I state such in the description. The fact is that very few are overgraded by the NGC in relation to those undergraded by the NGC. Some are so severely undergraded and without knowing it many dealers & collectors on BOB are selling their AU certified coins for low prices when in fact their coins are actually MINT STATE and would command far higher prices if they were correctly graded.

 

This was not always the case at the NGC. In fact they had a superb team grading our coins until about 15 months ago when it became a crap shoot to see what grades one would be assigned for coins submitted. I grade all my coins before submission and then compare results after receiving the assigned grades. My track record was 90% on the mark with the balance a grade different and in some cases I was out because the coin did not grade. Around 12 months ago my 90% on the mark reversed into being up to 4 or 5 grades out for 90% of the submissions? My system never changed, my eyes are still 20/20, I use the best loupe money can buy and I certainly did not lose my mind! So what happened? I know the answer to this but thats for another time. You will note that the 1925 6P MS63 is in an old slab and it is correctly graded as a MS63.

 

Cheers

Alex

[Guest Guest]

Hi Alex

 

Like Anthony said earlier this week, it is very difficult to find anyone who is as knowledgeable as you when it come to Union coinage. Like you, I have found it important to select an area that intrigues me and then to concentrate on that area, research from the foundation up and - where required - correct errors that have been perpetrated over past generations. We do this in the best interest of our hobby.

 

Keep up the good work .. you do not have to justify your credibility on this forum.

 

Your positive contribution to South African numismatics speaks for itself.

 

Kind regards

 

Scott Balson

[coinoisseur 14]

Hi Alex

 

I do not know if people are aware that you and I have never ever met. I just respect your knowledge and the research that you have done regarding Union Coinage. So in no way am I bias with regards to posts being made. I am just objective. But in the previous post that was locked, I did reply to the 1925 3d (which was reported that I did not reply to and was bias) and stated the following:

 

With regards to this coin, the only way to determine what the black mark or patch is, is to hold the coin in ones hand and make a fair assessment. Photos are good, but not great for assessment etc....

 

 

 

 

Cheers

[ALJADA 10]

Hi Anthony & Scott,

 

Thank you for your vote of confidence, I really appreciate it.

 

It is very satisfying to have ones' work and effort recognised by gentleman such as yourselves.

 

Going back to grading and the sometimes culpable manner in which the NGC grades our coins, I have added the following pictures of a coin I acquired last year on BOB which if submitted by me would have made me angry beyond belief. The coin is a 1934 Two Shillings and is undoubtedly MINT STATE yet the NGC assigned a grade of AU53. It does have some hairlines though not enough to consider it a possible no grade so it should have been given either a no grade due to hairlines if one were extremely strict or mint state but AU53 is ludicrous.

 

 

 

Note both obverse and reverse exhibit strong lustre even in the pictures. In fact the reverse exhibits full mint bloom which is rare in most such coins. The strike is full and complete with no evidence of loss of detail due to wear. The high points in particular are sharp and clear. These 2 factors are the only requirements for being assigned a mint state grade. The other factors namely surface preservation & eye appeal follow these in order to ascertain what level of mint state the coin would achieve but mint state it should be. AU53 applies to a coin with very little lustre and with loss of detail on high points clearly visible with the naked eye. Shoddy grading to say the least.

 

Cheers

Alex