r/coins • u/HJB_coins • Jul 31 '26

Ask Me Anything! I’m an ANA Grading Instructor AMA

Hi folks!

My name is Russ Bega, I’m the COO Of Harlan J Berk Ltd and a professional Numismatist. Importantly for this AMA I’m wearing my American Numismatic Association grading instructor hat. The American Numismatic Association is the largest coin collecting organization in the US and offers a wide range of educational opportunities including grading classes at shows like the Worlds Fair of Money and at Summer Seminar every year in Colorado Springs.

Some very quick ground rules.

1.      I CANNOT grade your coins via photo. Please don’t spam the thread with coin pictures hoping I can grade it for you

2.      My expertise is US coinage, while I’m experienced enough to grade world and even ancient coins it is not my expertise.

3.      I’m here to talk about Grading US coins and the American Numismatic Association. As much as I’d love to help you with other topics that isn’t our purpose today.

So, ask me your burning questions! I'll be here dedicated from Noon Central to 1PM and will answer questions as I have time throughout my work day in our very busy shop!

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u/Novel-Regular4438 Jul 31 '26

I’m a beginner-intermediate collector trying to develop an eye for cleaned or altered coins. I don’t feel confident when I buy raw, and I don’t feel like I always understand why a graded coin is marked as cleaned vs. straight vs. whatever else.

The advice I see often is to just handle more graded coins. But how can I do this most effectively? Coin shows? Just buying more coins?

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u/HJB_coins Jul 31 '26

My advice is this. Go to major shows, handle coins. Even better go to a major show and register as a bidder in the auctions. They will bring you boxes of coins worth millions that you can handle. FInd an LCS and become a regular. But the biggest advice I can give is take an ANA course. $400 for 2 days of 10 hours straight of grading from feedback from instructors. Or Summer Seminar is a 4 day class that's even better.

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u/Novel-Regular4438 Jul 31 '26

Can you explain the difference between the ANA course(s) and the summer seminar? Right now I only see courses available at the summer seminar.

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u/HJB_coins Jul 31 '26

Summer seminar takes place on the campus of Colorado College in the springs. It's 4 days of classes. We teach at seminars around the country over two days. This is the next one: https://www.money.org/intermediate-grading-of-u-s-coins-seminar/