The Sheldon Scale 1-70

elwood

My question is:

Using the Sheldon Scale, 1-59 are circulated grades and 60-70 are uncirculated grades-then why aren't all uncirculated coins graded the same.

What I mean is-that Proofs are graded much more conservatively than Business Strikes. WHY??? It's the same scale.

Compare a Proof Morgan in 64 to a Mint State Morgan in 64.

No comparison!! The Proof will be virtually mark free, with some Hairlines. While the MS coin with have many, many marks.

Opinions???

Barry

The scale doesn't make sense, as used today. Makes as much sense as the point scale in a tennis game! Originally, sheldon intended the numbers to reflect relative value of the coin as graded, but it didn't quite work out that way.

meos1

MS coins are supposedly subjected to circulation where are PR coins supposedly are not.

Dan

nwcs

That's because it's not really a universal scale. It's how the scale is applied to a coin. And because of that, the scale can be applied differently for business strike and proof. And also differently between coins in the same series. For example, a 1932 $10 is graded differently from a 1907 $10 because of design/production differences.

Dave99B

The Sheldon Scale technically runs from 1 to 70 (not 0).

Proofs are higher end in general (most are handled carefully during their lives). Not the case for businiess strikes.

Dave

LAWMAN

Once upon a time, long, long ago, this scale had some relationship to prices of large cents. Modernly, now that we know the author swiped a whole bunch of condition census large cents from the ANA collection, well, we don't care, we still use the scale.

We numismatists ain't particular. Then there's Walter Breen, an immortal in the child diddling hall of fame who makes Michael Jackson look like a rank amatuer.

elwood

How about a rare date vs. a common date of the same series? Are they graded the same?

Or a coin with a huge spread between grades, say AU-Unc or 64-65? Is it graded more conservatively?

And if so, why?

Because the coin is worth more in the higher grade?

And if the services grade a Key-Date coin tougher because it will be worth more.

Why do they do this?

It doesn't matter to them if the coin is worth more.

Are they supposed to give the technical grade of the coin or determine the value (in their eyes)?

Barry

And don't forget the different grading standard for a pedigree like Eliasberg.

JrGMan2004

Your comparison between an MS64 Morgan and a PR64 Morgan is kinda wrong. Different things effect the grade for proofs, like hairlines and spots. Ask Russ... he knows all about hairlines on proofs and how it effects the grades...