1883 J German States Hamburg Zwei Mark Coin

Willing to purchase your item; as you already know, made during the Hanseatic age of German "city states"; while uncommon, it is by no means rare; coins in this condition retail for around $100; you could get much more if you pay the fee to a ligitimate coin grading service (PCGS, NGC) and try to re-market it; take your chances.  As is, I'll offer $100, and we can discuss shipping.  btw, I am a modest collector, not a dealer or reseller.  please let me know

whats the difference between PCGS and NGC? I appreciate your honesty and help, I definitely plan to have it professionally graded mostly out of curiosity, if its worth is only a little over $100 I would  be ok selling it to you for $100(plus shipping) since you helped me out, and we won't have to do it through all the eBay mumbo-jumbo, if you have a paypal account I can have it out to you as soon as your payment cleared!

Coins are "graded" on a scale of 1 to 70.  "1" being "are you sure that's a coin?"; damn near an obscure slug; identifieable by size, metal and weight.  "70" being absolutely PERFECT; and by "PERFECT" I don't mean uncirculated; I mean "PUURRFECT"; I have seen coins come straight from the mint to a grading service, and come back a "69"; and you want to say "what the HELL did they see?"; well, "they", experts under magnification, found some kind of flaw, however minor.  

Reason I give you this background is that up until the early 1980's, for generations coin collectors, whether professional or amateur, had to rely on their observation, and frankly opinion, of details on a coin's condition for a grading number.  What one called a "64"; several others might call a "63"; this obviously led to fraud, as a higher number meant a seller could ask a higher price.

Then, in the early 80's, came Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS), as well as Numismatic Guarantee Corporation (NGC).  These are third party (as in, they neither buy nor sell coins) grading services, who, for a fee, evaluate coin conditions by the strictest collector's standards. They make their money not by inflating the value of a coin for re-sale, but simply the fee of giving a reliable grading number.  Now, whether a serious collector or merely a hobbiest, one can purchase a "graded" coin, believe it or not, sight unseen.  If you list a coin as a "PCGS 60"; I can buy, and if I choose, re-sell with absolute confidence in the quality.  This option did not exist 30 years ago.

Here's the catch.  Since PCGS and NGC started, about 20 other grading services have popped up. Pre-dating these two was ANACS, (American Numismatic Association Coin Service) which runs a very close third; and by "third", I mean how strict are their standards. Although I own many of their graded coins, they are compromised (imho) by the fact that they also sell coins; don't rate your own horse in the race.  The remaining (many) other grading services have very sloppy standards; might as well buy one not graded at all and take your chances. Next catch; the top three PCGS, NGC, and ANACS, charge a sliding scale for their services.  If you are a professional, and submit dozens, or even hundreds of coins per year for evaluation you can get a very good rate.   If you request one once in a while you pay shipping both ways and significant charges for their services.   Bottom line, if you wish to keep your coin in the family, spend $25-50 bucks and put it in the cedar chest for your grandkids.  If you wish to sell as is, you got a $100 offer, and a free education that took me 50 years to learn!   God bless.