For the first time in Poland and only the second time in Europe, a coin-grading class based on Numismatic Guaranty Corporation grading standards was held for collectors.
The seminar was jointly hosted by the U.S.-based Polish America Numismatic Society (PANS) as well as the Polish Numismatic Society (“Polskie Towarzystwo Numizmatyczne,” or PTN) on May 25 in Warsaw. Lead instructor Bob Campbell, of Utah, who’s also a past president of the American Numismatic Association, was joined by PANS President Lester Rosik; Central States Numismatic Society Vice-President Brett Irick, who’s also the treasurer of PANS; and PANS past secretary Joe Beaupied.
“The seminar idea came from a 2016 discussion with Szymon Bereska about modern coin-grading standards on the 1-70 Sheldon scale,” said Rosik.
In Poland, the traditional one-to-five grading scale is still used, but with large steps between grades, it’s difficult to assess a coin’s value without viewing the item in person.
When PANS was formed in 1981, its founders “wrote into our constitution that we would support the development of numismatics in Poland,” said Rosik.
“Nearly 40 years of hard work were required to develop our 100-plus-table semi-annual international and regional coin shows in Troy, Mich.”
These shows funded this and future grading seminars, he added.
The seminar’s nine participants will now share what they’ve learned with their local clubs.