+ grades

[drakesterling]

The "+" grades refer specifically to coins with superior eye appeal. As trout said, coins in MS60 and MS61 are Mint State coins with impaired eye appeal, so therefore can't receive a plus grade.

In this age, with high-quality photography, the plus grades are sort of redundant, but they can still be useful if you agree with how PCGS interprets eye appeal, which you may not. (For example, PCGS likes original character toning, while some collectors abhor any toning whatsoever. A toned coin in MS62+ would therefore be worth less than a straight-up MS62 to that collector.) Because eye appeal is so subjective (more so that the other things PCGS looks at when grading), PCGS decided not to quantify the eye appeal in the grade, which was a smart decision that ensured PCGS remained consistent.

On the other hand, the pluses used in the Australian grading "system" were simply added to make a coin appear a little better than it really was, with no consistency behind its application.

[trout]

Apparently I must agree with PCGS's "+" grade allocation because every "+" graded coin that I have seen "In Hand" has been a superior example of a coin it that particular grade.
I have also noticed that these plus grades are not given out like lollies by PCGS either.

[ausjack]

The "+" grades refer specifically to coins with superior eye appeal. As trout said, coins in MS60 and MS61 are Mint State coins with impaired eye appeal, so therefore can't receive a plus grade.

In this age, with high-quality photography, the plus grades are sort of redundant, but they can still be useful if you agree with how PCGS interprets eye appeal, which you may not. (For example, PCGS likes original character toning, while some collectors abhor any toning whatsoever. A toned coin in MS62+ would therefore be worth less than a straight-up MS62 to that collector.) Because eye appeal is so subjective (more so that the other things PCGS looks at when grading), PCGS decided not to quantify the eye appeal in the grade, which was a smart decision that ensured PCGS remained consistent.

On the other hand, the pluses used in the Australian grading "system" were simply added to make a coin appear a little better than it really was, with no consistency behind its application.

Yes I know what you mean Eric as some of the toning I like and other stuff I don't.

But I still don't understand why the 60 and 61 were left out when they go from 40 to 68 like they say in the last line of the first paragraph.  Two Leading Grading Services Announce "Plus" Grading
March 25, 2010
(Fort Worth, Texas) -- The Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) and Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC), the rare coin market's two leading grading services, have announced the addition of "plus" grades to their grading services. The plus grades will be designated on the insert of the firms' holders with a "+" and will apply to high end examples of the grades 40 thru 68 (excluding grades 60 and 61). 

[trout]

But I still don't understand why the 60 and 61 were left out

Have a good look at some MS60 and MS61 coins and you will see exactly why these grades really can't get a "+" .
Putting a "+" onto a MS60-61 coin would be like putting lipstick on a pig :ok:

[ausjack]

now tell me you haven't done that before :mocking:

Well why do they put a + grade on coins before 60 and 61, I would have thought just do it for 62 to 68 :scratch_one-s_head:

[trout]

now tell me you haven't done that before :mocking:

Well why do they put a + grade on coins before 60 and 61, I would have thought just do it for 62 to 68 :scratch_one-s_head:

Because from 40-58 (they don't do a 59,which is odd) are the top end of the circulated coins.
Personally I would much rather have an AU58 coin than a MS60-61 coin anyday because AU58 is as good as it gets for a circulated coin and the MS60-61 coins are the worst of the uncirculated coins and are usually pretty beaten up and "Nasty" :ok:

[ausjack]

actually I don't wanna know what you have or haven't put lipstick on.. the mind boggles :blink: :laugh2:

[ausjack]

now tell me you haven't done that before :mocking:

Well why do they put a + grade on coins before 60 and 61, I would have thought just do it for 62 to 68 :scratch_one-s_head:

Because from 40-58 (they don't do a 59,which is odd) are the top end of the circulated coins.
Personally I would much rather have an AU58 coin than a MS60-61 coin anyday because AU58 is as good as it gets for a circulated coin and the MS60-61 coins are the worst of the uncirculated coins and are usually pretty beaten up and "Nasty" :ok:

Oh now I get it..thank you very much ::thank_you:  and yes some au58 are nice coins :good:

[ausjack]

Really they shouldn't worry about any + grades under 62, like how they don't worry about putting a colour on the lower grade coppers

[wwwww]

But I still don't understand why the 60 and 61 were left out

Have a good look at some MS60 and MS61 coins and you will see exactly why these grades really can't get a "+" .
Putting a "+" onto a MS60-61 coin would be like putting lipstick on a pig :ok:

Couldn't have said it better myself.

[ausjack]

But I still don't understand why the 60 and 61 were left out

Have a good look at some MS60 and MS61 coins and you will see exactly why these grades really can't get a "+" .
Putting a "+" onto a MS60-61 coin would be like putting lipstick on a pig :ok:

Couldn't have said it better myself.

Please don't encourage him Walter as he really doesn't need any  :zomby:  :laugh2: