Guess the Grade is an engaging and educational game designed for numismatics enthusiasts and coin collectors. The game utilizes high-quality GreatPhoto™ images to showcase various coins, with the objective for players to guess the correct grading of each coin. The grading system is based on the standards set by the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS), which uses a combination of prefixes, numerical grades, and suffixes to denote the condition and value of collectible coins and get you on the leaderboard.

Game Modes

Three game modes are offered to help hone your grading skills or compete against other MyCollect members:

• Competition Mode: Join in the current season to compete against other MyCollect members. Every guess counts!
• Practice Mode: A quick way to practice against the full set of coins with a much more generous timeout and all guesses are tracked separately to your competition stats.
• Education Mode: A configurable mode allowing you to select the category or series of coins and other filtering options so you can practice on a specific area of interest. Create sessions for different focus areas with each session tracking it's own stats.

Game Play

1. Select a Mode: Click on one of the Mode buttons to start playing. A GreatPhoto™ image of a coin is displayed along with the guess timer which begins to count down. In Competition Mode you have 45 seconds to study the image which includes both obverse and reverse sides for detailed examination. For Practice and Education modes the time limit is extended to 10 minutes.
2. Make Your Guess: Players then submit their guess for the coin's grade. This includes deciding on the correct prefix (if any), the numerical grade, and the suffix (if any).
3. Point System: Points are awarded based on the accuracy of the guess, each coin has the potential to earn you 20 possible points (i.e. a perfect score):
   • Correct numerical grade: 16 possible points, with a steep drop off for adjacent grades (as shown in the graphic above)
   • Prefix: 2 possible points for the correct guess 0 for incorrect guesses.
   • Suffix: 2 possible points for the correct guess, 0 for incorrect guesses.
   • Timeout: 0 points
4. Grading Scale: The grading scale typically ranges from 1 to 70, with 70 being a perfect score.
5. Suffixes and Prefixes: Prefixes like "MS" (Mint State), "PR" (Proof), and "SP" (Specimen) indicate the coin's production type, reflecting its intended use for circulation, collectors, or special issues, respectively. Suffixes such as "RD" (Red), "RB" (Red-Brown), "BN" (Brown), "CAMEO," and "DCAM" (Deep Cameo) describe the coin’s color and finish quality, particularly for proof coins.
6. Results and Learning: After each guess, the correct grade is revealed, allowing players to learn and improve their grading skills.
7. Leaderboard: Players can earn points with each correct guess and compete on a leaderboard with other collectors and numismatists alike. “Your statistics” will give you a breakdown of your collective experience in the game with statistics such as “Coins Graded”, “Points”, and “Grade Accuracy”. The leaderboard is based on your accuracy but also influenced by the total number of coins graded. See the section Competition Ranking for more details.

Statistics

Statistics are tracked for each mode, and for each education mode session, so that you can see how you're progressing. When on the game page the statistics shown are from the last played mode with the mode highlighted along the top of the game area.

At any time players can reset their statistics for any game mode via the game menu ("gear" icon) in the top-right of the play area. Note this menu is only available if not actively playing the game. Warning: Competition Mode stats can be reset a maximum of every 7 days. Also, resetting Competition Mode stats will reset your points and ranking removing you from the leaderboard. You are still eligible to play competitive mode and will get re-ranked once reaching the minimum graded coin limit.

Competition Ranking

Ranking for the leaderboard is determined by a combination of:

1. Must have reached the minimum number of coins graded (currently 150)
2. Average Points for competition coins graded
3. Plus a Bonus based on the number of coins graded and grading accuracy

This means that higher-ranked players may have slightly lower accuracy if they have graded significantly more coins. The bonus is designed to reward consistency in grading. However, this bonus tapers off, ensuring that a player cannot reach the #1 spot on the leaderboard solely by grading the most coins.

If you have not yet reached the minimum number of coins graded then a Virtual Rank is shown instead. This represents where you would rank once you have graded enough coins and if you retained the same accuracy.

Improve Your Grading Skills

By participating in Guess the Grade, players can sharpen their grading skills, learn more about the nuances of coin grading, and enjoy the challenge of competing with others in the numismatic community. Whether you’re a seasoned collector or new to the hobby, Guess the Grade offers a fun and informative way to test your knowledge and appreciation for the skills of coin collecting.