What does Mint State mean?

mbbiker

I always thought a coin that was graded MS somthing looks the same as it did when it came from the mint. If a coin is toned then in reality it isn't in "mint state" because when it left the mint is was white and now it is all colorful. How would you grade a toned coin if mint state could only be used for white coins? Would it cause more people to dip coins to get a MS coin or would they leave the colors on and get a lesser grade?

Placid

Pcgs definition.
Mint State
The term corresponding to the numerical grades MS-60 through MS-70, used to denote a business strike coin that never has been in circulation. A Mint State coin can range from one that is covered with marks (MS-60) to a flawless example (MS-70).

prooflike

If it came to that, the grading scale would be changed to Unc-60 to Unc.-70

Basically, semantics....

kryptonitecomics

Toning can help or hurt the overall grade of a coin depending on if it's attractive toning or black splotchy toning. It can not however, make a coin less than MS or Uncirculated if there is no wear on the coin. An example would be a beautifully Rainbow toned Morgan in say MS65, might be upgraded to an MS66 if the eye appeal of the coin is fantastic.

cladking

It's hard to tell where a coin picked up a mark. Surely a tiny flaw
on a perfect coin wouldn't cause it to downgrade to AU-58.

Of course it's also hard to tell if it toned at the mint.

CLASSICS

mint state means..... the coin has never been circulated.... { never used}... it can be banged up, toned, it can be from original mint bags, bank wrapped rolls, or whatever......the bottom line is.....it cannot have been used. and must be in uncirulated condition. thus the name mint state...now we get into the condition of the mint state coin....plain unc. choice unc. gem unc. this type of condition grading got out of hand a few years back so , someone came up with the idea to incase {slab} coins. so today we have ms60 ...ms 63....ms65...ms67 and so on.

itsnotjustme

And I always thought it meant a coin found in PA, CO, or CA!

wallstreetman

<< <i>Toning can help or hurt the overall grade of a coin depending on if it's attractive toning or black splotchy toning. It can not however, make a coin less than MS or Uncirculated if there is no wear on the coin. An example would be a beautifully Rainbow toned Morgan in say MS65, might be upgraded to an MS66 if the eye appeal of the coin is fantastic. >>



Oh really, So when a coin is toned so dark it is pitted(corroded) that it gets bodybagged, it isnt less than MS? Since when did BB become a variety? Lets see, your Rainbow Morgan would be MS66 BB?

wallstreetman

mbbiker, I agree with your senario of toning and grading. Toning is damage just like wear, and should be treated as such!

wallstreetman

Its actually the worst form of wear IMHO! When I see a coin that is real dark, I see a coin that is closer to going back where it came from, DIRT! I once took an IHC that was real dark, but with AU details, put it in Jeweluster for a minute and there were no details left!

leothelyon

mint state means..... the coin has never been circulated.... { never used}... it can be banged up, toned, it can be from original mint bags, bank wrapped rolls, or whatever......the bottom line is.....it cannot have been used. and must be in uncirulated condition.

My question is at what point from the minting process to commerce use would a coin begin circulatiion or considered circulated. When handling begins at the mint when forflifts are used to load the trucks? Or at the banks when the bags are turned into rolls? Or at your department stores when the cashiers break open a roll? Or when that cashier drops your return change into your hand? An uncirculated coin goes through all that handling or transporting, can receive quite a bit of damage. But yet, it is considered to be uncirculated. Ronald, I'm not questioning your definition, on the contrary, I guess this is the reason I search the mint sets.

Leo

cladking

A coin is no longer uncirculated when the luster on the high points is broken.
This varies from coin to coin but on a clad quarter it will be about the fifth time
the coin is involved in a transaction. Unc coins for many years have picked up
most of their marks at the mint. There can be exceptions due to rough handling.

silverandvinyl

This is a very touchy subject to me.I don't know how many times I was nailed by a seller when they list their coins gem/bu uncirculated.Either they know nothing about grading or they are trying to s---w you.Here's a perfect example: I bid on a roll of 64 kennedy halfs listed as gem/bu/unc.When I received them
most of the hair lines were smooth with very little detail. These coins come under the guide lines as circulated coins.They are no longer mint state.The guy could have had the roll from 1964 but he had no idea how to store them.I believed he picked them up in circulation back then and picked out the best ones and put them in a bank roll.Now I e-mail the seller and ask all kinds of questions abouth the coins.If I do not hear from the seller I cross him off my list in the "stay away from column."

CLASSICS

<< <i>mint state means..... the coin has never been circulated.... { never used}... it can be banged up, toned, it can be from original mint bags, bank wrapped rolls, or whatever......the bottom line is.....it cannot have been used. and must be in uncirulated condition.

My question is at what point from the minting process to commerce use would a coin begin circulatiion or considered circulated. When handling begins at the mint when forflifts are used to load the trucks? Or at the banks when the bags are turned into rolls? Or at your department stores when the cashiers break open a roll? Or when that cashier drops your return change into your hand? An uncirculated coin goes through all that handling or transporting, can receive quite a bit of damage. But yet, it is considered to be uncirculated. Ronald, I'm not questioning your definition, on the contrary, I guess this is the reason I search the mint sets. mint sets are a great way to get great coins. remember they have never been used in commerce, and that is my point, they have never been used.

Leo >>