How will I decide to have a coin graded?

[Neighbor]

So I know one of these 1985 Philadelphia KOIN sold at a Heritage auction for $8,750 and it was great mint state 68 +. Now I know my coin, will grade high maybe not meant State 68 but maybe 66 67 and my question is is 1 grade going to drop the price and half drop the price all together I just want to know is it worth grading? 1491640468711118713672.jpg1491639902640-236467505.jpg1491640078569-1401274946.jpg1491640188184827928937.jpg14916404078561635713052.jpg

[jfines69]

I do not buy/sell coins but if memory serves me correctly a drop of 1 point in grade will reduce the value a fair chunk... Can you post a straight on full obv and rev pic??? It is hard to tell what the coin actually looks like when at an angle to the camera!!!

[Maineman750]

I'm not sure which auction you saw...but here is an MS-68 example that sold recently for $595.00 http://www.ebay.com/itm/1985-Lincoln...item211f04f135

[onecent1909]

Do you want it graded?
All coins are easier to sell as a graded coin.
you have a reference of ... "PCGS says it is a MS62, I want MS62 value" VS "would grade it as MS62... soooo...I want MS62 value and someone disagrees with the Grade"
the price to grade+price to ship to and from graders+price of coin originally should be a bit higher than the price you feel you will get for the coin.

Now PCGS price for 1985 cent
a MS66+ would be $12
so 1 or 2 points will cost WAYYYyyyy more than half the value

[jcuve]

It seems from the past experience of members (who discussed it on previous threads, so it is anecdotal and not based on my experience) that an individual had a hard time achieving such high coveted grade when submitting on their own. I am not sure if such grades were easier for big dealers to obtain because the grade came from large batch of coins submitted at once all high grade with the same year (and one got an MS68/69) or through some mysterious inherent advantage dealers have while submitting.

[amosamos16]

Trying to play the high modern grade game can be seriously expensive unless you are very experienced with what the exactly your looking at, and can grade at the high level, it can be a expensive education. Pcgs for example in order for this cent to be a 68 better be almost flawless. Any hit or rub, lack luster areas will down grade it, making cost prohibitive. The guys that do play the game , and it's all for registry points, look at 100s or thousands even and select only that few that cut the mustard. My advice is to have somebody well versed in that game to put eyeballs on it and tell you.

[Neighbor]

Wow I knew dropping one grade would decrease the value greatly but I had no idea that it would go from thousands to dollars in one grade. Thanks for that little tidbit of information really appreciate it.

Really thank you all everyone had really good feedback and I'll keep it all in mind I'm not trying to chase the modern high grade coins it just fell in my lap so I'm just trying to make the best of what I got.

And so sorry folks all I have is my cell phone and a magnifying glass to take pictures. It gets super frustrating!

[onecent1909]

The price for the high end graded stuff is because of registry sets
Some people want as the said in MIB "the best of the best of the best...."

if someone submitted 600 1985 cents and if 100 graded MS67 and 497 graded MS 68 and 3 and MS 69. the MS67 would not change alot.
BUT the MS68 would fall down... way down as the MS 69 would be the Top and worth thousands of dollars
It is supply and demand
Right now the are not that many 1968 and a lot of 1967

[Neighbor]

Wow thank you $0.01 for your explanation you made it really easy for me to understand how it all works. It's very much appreciated

[jfines69]

And so sorry folks all I have is my cell phone and a magnifying glass to take pictures. It gets super frustrating!

I know that feeling

[Frank]

I can't remember who quoted it first, but I really like the addage, "Buy the coin, not the slab".

I get that some love the challenge, but I for one will just never have the disposable income to play the slabbage game. Rolls are just my speed!

[GrumpyEd]

Another way to gain some perspective is take a look at mint sets from that period, you'll see that a lot of the cents look spectacular but most grade 66 or below, getting 67 is lucky, getting above that is really beating the odds and anything below 67 is lost money on fees, above 67 is making some money.

It's a great cent but the odds of 67 are tough, above that a miracle.
If that wasn't true then dealers would be breaking all the mint sets for grading and getting rich but most dealers will barely want to pay over face for them because the grading game isn't easy money.