Guess The Grade: My Numismatic Journey with a Controversial Coin

I recently got my hands on a real head-scratcher of a coin that put my grading skills to the test. This crusty PCGS AG3 piece had me puzzling over what actually makes a coin worth grading – and where we draw the line between “historically interesting” and “too far gone.”

The Mystery Coin

What I’m looking at appears to be Hogge Money from Bermuda, but honestly, you’d barely know it. The corrosion’s so brutal that the famous hog design is practically ghosted – at first glance, you might mistake it for a battered token. Having handled my share of detector finds from salty coastal areas like Bermuda, I know they rarely come through time gracefully. But PCGS slabbing this as a straight AG3? That surprised me. With pitting this severe, I’d expect an environmental damage designation, not a straight grade. It just doesn’t sit right.

When Grading Gets Tricky

This coin made me rethink the whole grading spectrum. By Sheldon’s original definitions, I’d place this below Basal State-1 territory – more like an “Almost Poor” that doesn’t officially exist. If you’re wrestling with similar grading puzzles, here’s what I’ve learned:

• Always hunt for corrosion clues – if it’s this advanced, push for a details grade to avoid overpaying
• Compare against solid examples (my problem-free 1799 cent graded VG-8 looks like a superstar next to this Bermuda piece)
• Remember grading services sometimes bend rules for rarities – but protect your collection by questioning those calls

History’s Toll on Coins

Thinking about this coin’s journey, I recalled how early U.S. planchets often arrived soaked in seawater before striking. That explains why so many show weak details right from the mint. For Bermuda coins buried centuries in corrosive soil? Forget about it. In my collecting days, I’ve learned to value stable surfaces above all – unless we’re talking museum-level rarities, irreversible damage usually means a hard pass for me.

Smart Collecting in Today’s Market

PCGS’s $6,500 price guide for this coin feels completely detached from reality – I’d maybe value it at $100 on a good day. This mismatch taught me a valuable lesson: price guides are conversation starters, not holy writ. My advice?

• Weigh rarity against condition carefully – damaged rarities only tempt specialist collectors
• Never overpay without checking auction records for comparable pieces
• Problem coins usually sell at discounts, so hold out for clean examples when you can

At the end of the day, this crusty Hog coin reminded me why I love numismatics – every piece sparks debates, tells stories, and keeps us questioning. Sometimes the grade is just the opening line in a much longer conversation between collectors.