What are the different coin grades?

It established grading tiers of, in descending order of preservation, Mint State, About Uncirculated, Extremely Fine, Very Fine, Fine, Very Good, Good and About Good. Most numismatists, as well as third-party grading services, also use two other descriptors for the lowest grades, Fair and Poor.

What is a good grade for coins?

The Sheldon Coin Grading Scale is a 70-point coin grading scale used in the numismatic assessment of a coin’s quality. The American Numismatic Association based its Official ANA Grading Standards in large part on the Sheldon scale….Original Sheldon Scale (1949)

How are US coins graded?

US Coins are graded on a scale from 1 to 70 based on condition. The higher the grade, the more the coin’s value. Coins are valued based on their rarity and condition. The graders simply give the coins a numerical grade and it is then up the market to decide the coin’s value.

What does MS mean for coin grading?

Mint State
Coins with no wear at all are alternately referred to as Uncirculated (Unc.), Brilliant Uncirculated (BU), and Mint State (MS). When a numerical grade is assigned to an uncirculated coin, it goes along with the abbreviation MS, such as MS-60.

Is it worth getting coins graded?

In nearly all situations, key date coins in uncirculated condition are worth having professionally graded; especially if you have multiple coins to submit. This will help to reduce the price that you pay per coin, when factoring in shipping and insurance expenses.

What grade is a uncirculated coin?

Uncirculated grades range from MS-60 Typical to MS-70 Perfect. Most Uncirculated coins range from MS-60 to MS-63+, as very few coins meet the technical standards for MS-65 or higher. It takes years of experience to become an expert at the grading of Uncirculated coins.

How do you know a coin is uncirculated?

Uncirculated Coins

1. Mint luster. Coins that have never been in circulation usually exhibit a distinctive sheen or luster.
2. No trace of wear. One of the most obvious signs that a coin is uncirculated is the absence of wear or rubbing on the coin’s high points.

How do you get a coin appraised?

You can get an appraisal of the more valuable coins in your collection from a dealer authorized by the PCGS; find members in your area at http://pcgs.com/dealers/.

How long does it take PCGS to grade a coin?

Additional services such as Oversized Holders, GSA Holders, and Variety Attribution could add an additional 5-10 business days to any Service Level turnaround time….Estimated Submission Turnaround Time.

How can I get my coins certified by PCGS?

To get coins certified by the Professional Coin Grading Service, investors need to work through a PCGS-authorized dealer or purchase one of three levels of membership in the Professional Coin Grading Service Collector’s Club. For the investor looking to certify one or two coins,…

Coins are graded on a 0-70 point scale devised by Dr William Shelby. The details can be found in the Official A.N.A. Grading Standards for United States Coins published by the American Numismatic Association (ANA). Under this method of grading, the higher the point scale accorded a particular coin, the better its quality.

What are coin conditions?

A coin with a condition of 1 is the least grade a coin can get, but still be identifiable as a certain coin, and a score of 70 is the highest grade a coin can get. The worst condition a coin can obtain is Basal State, which means, you can tell it was a coin but not what type.