All You Circulated Experts...Need your Help
segoja
Posts: 6,112 ✭✭✭✭
I normally buy and sell only Proof or MS coins...nothing against circs, but in the 20th century virtually all is available in MS and Proof.
Please correct any errors you guys see in these definitions. I'm trying to make them generic enough to fit all US coinage. I know you really can't do that, but I think I've captured the key elements and numeric representations of each grade.
Thanks in advance for the help! These will appear on my website along with a laundry list of other numismatic terms (Once I can get Airplanenut the finished version) BTW He is invaluable in setting up a great website.
Grading Scale – The commonly used Sheldon scale from 1-70. Also in adjectival form.
Poor – 1 The coin is identifiable as to date and type
Fair – 2 Slightly less wear than Poor. Rims are blended with the fields
Almost Good – 3 Less wear than Fair, rims may be full in spots.
Good - 4 & 6 Rims are full on both obverse and reverse
Very Good – 8 Rims are full and most details of the coin are well worn, however easily identifiable.
Fine – 12 All lettering must be readable on both obverse and reverse.
Very Fine 20 & 30 No mint luster present. Signifcant wear, however all lettering and devices will be fully readable and well defined.
Extremely Fine 40 & 45 25-50% Mint Luster Present with more significant wear than Almost Uncirculated
Almost Unciruclated 50, 53, 55, & 58. Virtually full mint luster with only minute evidence of wear.
Mint State 60-70 – See Mint State
Please correct any errors you guys see in these definitions. I'm trying to make them generic enough to fit all US coinage. I know you really can't do that, but I think I've captured the key elements and numeric representations of each grade.
Thanks in advance for the help! These will appear on my website along with a laundry list of other numismatic terms (Once I can get Airplanenut the finished version) BTW He is invaluable in setting up a great website.
Grading Scale – The commonly used Sheldon scale from 1-70. Also in adjectival form.
Poor – 1 The coin is identifiable as to date and type
Fair – 2 Slightly less wear than Poor. Rims are blended with the fields
Almost Good – 3 Less wear than Fair, rims may be full in spots.
Good - 4 & 6 Rims are full on both obverse and reverse
Very Good – 8 Rims are full and most details of the coin are well worn, however easily identifiable.
Fine – 12 All lettering must be readable on both obverse and reverse.
Very Fine 20 & 30 No mint luster present. Signifcant wear, however all lettering and devices will be fully readable and well defined.
Extremely Fine 40 & 45 25-50% Mint Luster Present with more significant wear than Almost Uncirculated
Almost Unciruclated 50, 53, 55, & 58. Virtually full mint luster with only minute evidence of wear.
Mint State 60-70 – See Mint State
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Comments
VG 8/10, F 12/15, VF 20/25/30/35.
You're right, gonna be hard across the board, but in addition to what you have, I've seen:
Fair: Many of the design details are worn completely smooth.
EF: slight wear on highest points. Details very sharp.
"You Suck Award" - February, 2015
Discoverer of 1919 Mercury Dime DDO - FS-101
Someone knows something about everything coin related!!!
Hope I can help you out one day!!
Ike Specialist
Finest Toned Ike I've Ever Seen, been looking since 1986
Adjustments should be made for some series like buffalo nickels and clad quarters to
account for large numbers of poor strikes. For instance the rims on many of the quart-
ers from the late '60's and '70's are not defined in the strike and the buffalos are often
struck with no horn. This means a coin technically goes straight from MS-60 to AG or G
as soon as the luster is broken.