The Official Guide to Coin Grading and Counterfeit Detection, Edition #2

Review by Mendicant Pigeon for The Official Guide to Coin Grading and Counterfeit Detection, Edition #2
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Please note: This book was released only last month so I’m not sure how relevant the reviews below are. I bought this at ANA’s unveiling and must say that I believe that if you are going to buy one and only one book on US coins, this is the one that you must buy. It is great because it is chockablock full of utterly usable and vital information on all of the things that you are interested in when it comes to grading coins and indeed in determining whether you are dealing with true coin of the realm or a counterfeit. What makes this particular edition particularly cogent is its section on the State Quarters with photos to help with grading states MS-60 and above. This book also has an excellent section on Commemoratives which is a big help. Not all of the photographic plates are in color which is a shame because the black and whites are of absolutely no use when used to demonstrate the difference between an MS-67, and MS-66 and an MS-65: the photos are just not intense enough for one to really be able to see the flaws the editors are attempting to point out. There are color pictures which are a great help in making this comparison but they are reserved, predictably, for high end gold coins. My major beef with this and indeed all coin books to date is that the lowly, unloved Jefferson Nickel gets short shrift. Yep, barely two pages of commentary and no really great photographic grading aids. This is an especially jarring ommission in light of the newly released so-called Peace Nickel which, ironically, was launched at the same time as this book. Anyway, but for the grainy black and whites and the unforgivable nickel ommission, this book rates Five Stars. Buy it in any event.

Review by for The Official Guide to Coin Grading and Counterfeit Detection, Edition #2
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I have worked in the coin industry for a number of years and have dealt with most of the big dealers. I thought I knew a lot about coins going in and I still can’t believe everything that I learned. Everyone who even thinks about buying a coin HAS to read this book. The clear language explainations and numerous pictures make this book very easy to understand. I can’t say enough about it.

Review by for The Official Guide to Coin Grading and Counterfeit Detection, Edition #2
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There is more knowledge packed in this book than any 10 coin books combined. I now know the standards involved in Mint State grading, although the average collector like myself should understand that you probably won’t be able to sit down after reading this book and tell the difference between an MS-64 and an MS-65 if you couldn’t before. Still, I am much more comfortable now in all stages of grading, and much more confident when buying and selling coins. The counterfeit detection part is probably not relevant to the average collector, but it is interesting information that adds to your knowledge of the hobby and the enjoyment of collecting.

Review by L. Fox for The Official Guide to Coin Grading and Counterfeit Detection, Edition #2
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The 2nd Edition of “PCGS Coin Grading” is an excellent reference. It is critical and required reading for beginning and advanced coin collectors. As I am the author of 7 coin books since 1977, I appreciate the difficulty of attempting to explain the subtle and challenging differences between “a few minor marks in the main focal area” (MS65 grading standards, page 28) and “a few minor marks or one or two significant marks with hairlines” (MS64 grading standards, same page). As a complete reference to the condition (grade) of all U.S. coins, this book does an excellent job. However, as noted on page 7, with reference to the 11 grades of Mint State coins (MS60 to MS70): “It would be desirable to have more space for them on the grading spectrum to reflect their degrees of difference more precisely.” This is why I am now writing a new book about Precision Coin Grading that will supplement the PCGS Coin Grading guide by explaining how to determine the “decimal point grade” of your coins. (MS64.5, MS65.8, MS66.3, etc.) In today’s market, there can often be a price difference of hundreds or even thousands of dollars between a “just made it MS65″ and a “just missed MS66.” (MS65.1 vs. MS65.9.) Whether you are buying or selling coins for personal enjoyment or investment, collectors need to know whether they should consider upgrading a coin of “the same grade” (like snowflakes, no two MS65 coins are absolutely identical.) You also need to know if you have a “high end” or “PQ” (premium quality) specimen of a numerically grade coin, from Carson City Silver Dollars to U.S. Commems to St. Gaudens Double Eagles. Rare coin expert Jim Halperin has also attempted to address this issue. I’ve known both Jim and David Hall since the 1970′s. Both are brilliant numismatists who have made valuable contributions to the hobby. Coin grading will always be an art as well as a science, and the 5 critical grading factors (surface, strike, color, marks and eye appeal) may never be determined by a computer, as my good friend Jim suggests. In the meanwhile, the more you know, and the more you learn, the better. As a tool to educate collectors about coin grading, The PCGS Coin Grading guide should really have better photos. Fortunately, many such photos are available on the websites of both PCGS and Heritage. If you don’t own this great coin book, and you plan to spend more than $100 on coin collecting in your lifetime, buy this book immediately!

Review by Mark Hoover for The Official Guide to Coin Grading and Counterfeit Detection, Edition #2
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This book is pretty good except that it is in desparate need of more pictures. It completely leaves out the Morgan Dollar, probably the most widely collected of all US coins. Also, it is a 2004 Edition, so the prices are not up to date. It is better when combined with another source book like the 2006 Official Black Book.