Random question about intermediate grades?

haletj

Just a random question. Why can vf and au be determined precisely enough to have 4 grades each (vf20,25,30,35,au50,53,55,58), but the inbetween grade of xf has only 2 (xf40,45). Probably no big deal, just seems a little strange!

wingedliberty

Good question. I wish I had an answer., but it seems to work just fine.



Brian.

relayer

Before there were numbers, there were just names.

The number theory is that a grade is worth X times what a "1" would be worth. It was just a theory.

So when try to match up "VF" to a numeric value that reflected what they actually traded for, 20-35 was the range.

coinkat

Good question...There has always been a wide range scope that fits within the VF grade. Some coins that are low end while others just miss EF. There is a need for the range that exists especially for Classic coinage. As fo AU, again there are low end AU and high end coins and I think the scale works well there too.

itsnotjustme

And note that VF gets a 20 point range (assume 18-38). No other grade gets this much territory. Just think, might make for some nice buys in VF30-35 coins.

Fairlaneman

The VF range of points is probably why four grades are used. With the AU coins I believe the different grades may reflect how much Luster is still present on the coin with the wear factor included also. Just a opinion.

Ken

Julian

The services only use 5 point increments. However, all the #'s do exist. Since my use of the #'s is a shorthand, I do use the intermediate #'s. I could call a coin ef-48 or vf-23, although I rarely do that with vf's. I have used f-17. Feel free to use the #'s as you wish. They are in the public domain and knowledgeable numismatists will know what you mean.

cladking

There are varying ranges of value in a grade and varying widths of grades.

Popular grades like AU will have a wide spread of value from high end to low
end which necessitates the intermediate grades for pricing.

Coins in circulation require much more time to pass through some grades than
they do other grades. A typical coin can spend nearly a third of it's lifespan in
AG alone. Other grades like XF can be relatively brief.

Collectible coins still in existence were pulled out of circulation at varying times
of their "lifespan" dependent on their percieved rarity and their availability. This
also causes a varying demand in reaction to price (which is partially dictated by
supply). In any case there will likely be fewer coins saved from the grades which
are briefest.



XF not VF!

homerunhall

The 1 to 70 system was devised 50 years ago by large cent collector Dr. William Sheldon. He's the one that came up with the 4 grades for VF, 2 grades for EF idea. I tend to agree with the division because there is a lot more difference between the high end and low end for the VF grade. It's based on percentage of wear and there's a greater degree of difference percentage-wise for the VF grade than any other grade. The following additions were made to the Sheldon scale. For Mint State coins, Sheldon had MS60, 65, and 70. In the 1970s, coin dealers began using MS 63 and 67. In the early 80s they added MS64. When PCGS started we added MS61, 62, 66, 68, and 69. The Sheldon scale used AU50 and 55. When PCGS started we added Au53 and 58...David Hall