So you are going to buy a few Canadian coins off of eBay for your collection, eh? Just check the grade, check the Charlton or Haxby or Canadian Coin News and put in a bid. Yeah, right. Who's grade?

First of all, grading coins, Canadian or otherwise, is not a science but an art. The grade assigned to a coin  is an opinion, not a fact. But where did that grade come from?

In many cases it comes from professional graders such as ICCS, PCGS, ANACS or one of the many other grading services who have many years of experience and thousands of photos to compare to. And they are NOT trying to sell you the coin so they have no reason to overgrade.

The other side of the coin (bad pun) is Raw coins, which are graded by the person selling them or as some sellers tell you, the previous owner. Are they wrong? How could they be wrong, it is just an opinion. But they may be overgrading on purpose or just not very knowledgeable. In my experience on eBay I have found a few of these people and some are still selling. BUT I am happy to tell you that most of the sellers who have been around a long time, and want to stay around, are very honest and just as consistent and fair with their grading as any grading service.

That brings us to you, the buyer. If you are new to coins stick with third party graded coins. But understand not all grading services use the same standards. ICCS is a Canadian grading service, and the most respected for grading Canadian coins. Most of the others are American and while you would wonder why there is any difference, there is. PCGS is the largest and most respected of these. If you buy outside of these two you had better know your grading.

Only though hard work and experience are you ever going to be able to buy Raw coins, or graded for that matter, with any degree of satisfaction. Firstly pick up the Charlton Standard Grading Guide for Canadian & Colonial Decimal Coins. Read it and know it. Secondly there is a helpful little place for learning grading called eBay Stores. Check them out, big pictures of  ICCS or PCGS coins with the grade already on them. Study them and know them. Remember the seller who overgrades? Well now you know it is overgraded so you just do not bid on it. Find one you like and enjoy the hobby.

Doug