Differance Between....

pjgj13

An MS70 and a PR70?

Are there different standards for grading regular coins and proof coins?

Just trying to learn as much as I can in this hobby. Thanks

neocirrhitus

A coin graded as MS70 by PCGS would be a 'business strike' coin that the graders felt was 'as struck' from the mint . 'Business strike' (a coin that was struck for circulation, with normal dies) coins would be the coins you see on a daily basis in circulation, as well as a few special cases (such as recently minted sacagewea (spelling?) dollars).

A PR70 coin would be a coin struck with specially prepared dies to create a (normally) mirror finish on the fields and a white 'frost' on the devices, creating a cameo effect (this also partially explains the CAMeo or DeepCAMeo label descriptions on most modern proofs. So the grade would read PR70DCAM for a coin that was 'as struck' to the graders.

The PCGS grading standards listed on the website list proofs and business strike standards for mint state as the same ( MS/PR65 .....) I don't feel like I have enough experience submitting coins to PCGS that I could comment on whether or not this is the case in practice. It seems to me that since the mirrored surfaces of proof coins show nicks and dings so much more clearly than normal business strike coins, there is probably some difference in the standards. But that is just my guess, not anything more.

Hope this helps a little !