Later in the late 1950's, two men wrote a new book which appealed to a large audience of collectors. Rather than relying on simple number scales, it also contained pictures or photographs of coinage, and described how to go about the valuation process. The text was upgraded several times through the 1970's, and was eventually accepted by a large American coin association. The need for coin grading services kept on growing, despite this new information. This paved the way for ever more valuing methods and services to come.
As time progressed and more and more collectors came on the scene needing services, gradually professional numismatic associations began offering grading services to collectors. However the primary reason for beginning this type of service was to help prevent counterfeit coins from being circulated. The locations of their establishment is in an area of the country that can draw and utilize the services of professionals who make their life's work numismatics. At first the company only provided authentication services, but then as the company grew, provided coin grading services as well.
Other coin grading companies began enclosing coins in special packages to protect them. Problems many grading companies faced were duplication or counterfeiting of authentication certifications. There were so many coins waiting to be authenticated, the companies could not keep up with the backlogs. Some offer expertise in identifying whizzed coinage, or those that are artificially altered so that they appear to be of a higher grade than they are. Companies set up pricing depending on how quickly customers wanted to have coins authenticated. The highest prices are charged at collector shows on a "authenticate it here and now" basis. Some collectors investigate grading companies to find out how many of what types of coins pass through their doors, and in this way discover what coins are being bought and valued in the market today. Just as these types of companies value coinage, our loving Lord values His creation even more. "Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they"? (Matthew 6:26 KJV).
For a very short period of time, a few companies decided to grade coins by computer, thinking that this method would provide more of a precise means of authenticating and valuing currency. However, it soon became evident that computers can not delineate very fine flaws in coins, and also that computers can not judge or use the human quality of objectivity in the process. Therefore, this method was soon dropped in favor of the human element which was more reliable.
Coin grading methods change every now and then, fluctuating with the way collectors in the hobby value coinage. The system is definitely not a static one, but will continue to change through the decades, as systems become better and better, and more and more descriptions are needed to describe them in a precise manner. There will always be a need for coin grading entities to provide their expertise as long as there is coinage being circulated. Coin collectors will always do well and serve the quality of collections by remaining knowledgeable about how coins are valued in the various markets where coin shows are held. Staying aware of the fact that this knowledge is not static and gaining experience in the ability to grade and value coinage ensures that the collector will never fall prey to those who would try to sell counterfeit currency to collectors.
Collectors try to use coin grading companies who do not have something to gain by providing their expertise. If the company does not deal in selling coinage they have been viewed as more reputable. In more recent times, a couple of entities have come together to provide a publication in book form and online that evaluates the companies that value and authenticate coinage. These entities have done this so that those new to the coin collecting company as well as seasoned collectors will have some way to better gauge the reputations of organizations such as these. Some of the oldest organizations, two to be exact, were given the superior grade, and only one company was given a poor grade. Most companies fell into the middle to lower rated categories. It would be worth the collector's time and energy to read and digest what is contained in this information.
There is still much to learn and consider in the interesting hobby of coin collecting, and the availability of coin grading services, if they are good ones, to help the collector on to finally putting together a wonderful collection. It can be a life long hobby, the results of which can be handed down from generation to generation.
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