<https://boards.ngccoin.com/topic/425649-buy-the-coin-not-the-holder/#comment-9779027>
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"Are you guys saying that a coin graded \"50\" now is a poorer specimen than a coin graded \"50\" fifteen years ago?  Or are you saying that you object to the game of applying the \"AU\" tag to a coin that is not almost uncirculated (e.g., AU50)?  \n\tIf the former, that is a bad thing for the hobby, and largely undermines the entire purpose for TPGs.\n \n\n\n\tIf the latter, I don't see where the complaint is.  Given that a coin graded \"G\" is a deeply worn coin, and not \"good\" by any rational standard; a coin graded \"VG\" is still a very worn coin, and not \"very good\" by any rational standard, etc., right up until AU58 (which is, IMO, \"almost uncirculated,\"), and given that those labels were attached long ago, I don't see the complaint about labels.  \n\tNumbers are supposed to be objective, and a coin given a certain grade today, should look very, very similar to the same type of coin given the same grade many years ago.  But attaching fluffy letters to the number, if the numbers ARE objective and consistent, does not offend me in the least.  \n\tMark\n \n"
<https://boards.ngccoin.com/topic/425649-buy-the-coin-not-the-holder/>