Grading

[Hidden_Realm]

I am looking for information as to having a few of my coins and tokens I have found over the years about grading. I live in Canada and wondering where and how to have them done? Can I send them in someplace by myself or is it better to have a dealer close by send them in for me? Does the Grading place do any cleaning of them before mounting them in the holders too? I have never had anything graded and know nothing about it's process or who even does it in Canada and who are the best in doing them. Any information would be great and thanks in advance!!

[Iron Patch]

You can send them in yourself. What exactly is wrong that you would suggest they need cleaning? For most dug coins you can do just about as much as any professional can... and not that long ago someone posted a key date 1877 Indian head he sent for grading/conservation/cleaning. It had a beautiful patina when he sent it in, but was returned with the surface stripped and an ugly brown color. It literally took hundreds off the value and I still to this day can't understand how anyone who considers them self as a professional would touch that coin with anything and not just mail it back... but boy they sure did, they killed it.

[Hidden_Realm]

Hey Iron, thanks for writing......Nothing is wrong with them as for cleaning, and my worry is just what you wrote. The one US large cent has a beautiful green patina and no way I want to lose it. I am worried about them trying to clean it up to their liking and wipe it off. One thing I also wonder is, what is the total gain of having a said coin graded and slabbed...other then an expert ruling and a pretty plastic case? If I were to write in and mention "no cleaning", still worry about them messing around with it. I have probably close to 300 dug older coins and tokens and just was thinking of grading a few of the better/ more valuable ones. Seems graded coins command a little higher price if ever sell, plus would get a "true" grade out of it.

As for sending them in, I remember a guy close by here sent a few to Toronto for grading but they never wrote who they were or if they cleaned and not just slabbed it. Wondering if be better off to take them to a well known dealer and see what they say as to their grade and if worth even sending them in.
I could also get a few picks of them and see what the experts think of their condition on here....wouldn't hurt really.

You can send them in yourself. What exactly is wrong that you would suggest they need cleaning? For most dug coins you can do just about as much as any professional can... and not that long ago someone posted a key date 1877 Indian head he sent for grading/conservation/cleaning. It had a beautiful patina when he sent it in, but was returned with the surface stripped and an ugly brown color. It literally took hundreds off the value and I still to this day can't understand how anyone who considers them self as a professional would touch that coin with anything and not just mail it back... but boy they sure did, they killed it.

[Iron Patch]

Hey Iron, thanks for writing......Nothing is wrong with them as for cleaning, and my worry is just what you wrote. The one US large cent has a beautiful green patina and no way I want to lose it. I am worried about them trying to clean it up to their liking and wipe it off. One thing I also wonder is, what is the total gain of having a said coin graded and slabbed...other then an expert ruling and a pretty plastic case? If I were to write in and mention "no cleaning", still worry about them messing around with it. I have probably close to 300 dug older coins and tokens and just was thinking of grading a few of the better/ more valuable ones. Seems graded coins command a little higher price if ever sell, plus would get a "true" grade out of it.

As for sending them in, I remember a guy close by here sent a few to Toronto for grading but they never wrote who they were or if they cleaned and not just slabbed it. Wondering if be better off to take them to a well known dealer and see what they say as to their grade and if worth even sending them in.
I could also get a few picks of them and see what the experts think of their condition on here....wouldn't hurt really.

You can send them in yourself. What exactly is wrong that you would suggest they need cleaning? For most dug coins you can do just about as much as any professional can... and not that long ago someone posted a key date 1877 Indian head he sent for grading/conservation/cleaning. It had a beautiful patina when he sent it in, but was returned with the surface stripped and an ugly brown color. It literally took hundreds off the value and I still to this day can't understand how anyone who considers them self as a professional would touch that coin with anything and not just mail it back... but boy they sure did, they killed it.

I would never send in a dug coin unless it was an incredible rarity that needed authentication for me to collect my payday. There's really no benefit to getting them graded because the buyers are going to make their own judgment, not to mention you'll have to shoot through a plastic holder (unless you take some pics before hand) and chances are they'll be labeled "cleaned," "corroded" or "environmental damage," and either of those labels tends to knock a chunk off even if the coin looks good.

[Hidden_Realm]

I have seen those ones graded with those terms and not so nice to see. I'm pretty sure I don't have any great rarity so maybe leave the grading thing alone and just figure out their grades without sending them in. I wasn't sure if dug coins/tokens were worth sending in to be slabbed, unless a great rarity was known. Thanks for your input IP and sure helps a lot!!

I do have a couple of tokens to get pic's of that are kinda cool and a lil different looking....at least to me lol. One I think was a Vermont that looks to have been re-stamped over another token. just know to get my pc fixed so I can access my photo's again grrrrrrr

[Iron Patch]

I have seen those ones graded with those terms and not so nice to see. I'm pretty sure I don't have any great rarity so maybe leave the grading thing alone and just figure out their grades without sending them in. I wasn't sure if dug coins/tokens were worth sending in to be slabbed, unless a great rarity was known. Thanks for your input IP and sure helps a lot!!

I do have a couple of tokens to get pic's of that are kinda cool and a lil different looking....at least to me lol. One I think was a Vermont that looks to have been re-stamped over another token. just know to get my pc fixed so I can access my photo's again grrrrrrr

yeah post em up when you can.


If you ever sell them ebay will get you what they're worth.

[Hidden_Realm]

Will try to get a few pic's soon and try to load up by one of the laptops. Ebay is good and reaches a lot of people and do play on there every now and then

I have seen those ones graded with those terms and not so nice to see. I'm pretty sure I don't have any great rarity so maybe leave the grading thing alone and just figure out their grades without sending them in. I wasn't sure if dug coins/tokens were worth sending in to be slabbed, unless a great rarity was known. Thanks for your input IP and sure helps a lot!!

I do have a couple of tokens to get pic's of that are kinda cool and a lil different looking....at least to me lol. One I think was a Vermont that looks to have been re-stamped over another token. just know to get my pc fixed so I can access my photo's again grrrrrrr

yeah post em up when you can.


If you ever sell them ebay will get you what they're worth.