What is the lowest grade that you still like the look of for most circulated coins?

TennesseeDave

I usually don't like the look of most coins below VF-25/30,but this one changed that thought. This is my 1st coin of 2011 and my only Seated $. I am talking about coins from say about 1940 and older.

tydye

Depends upon the series. Probably the only grades that look bad nearly all the time are MS61 MS62

tydye

Very nice coin by the way.

Halfhunter06

My minimum would be G4. Not that i would collect a jefferson nickel in that grade,lol. Just saying the minimum I would collect, like for a 1793 Cent.

AnkurJ

G6

veryfine

F-12 for any profile portrait coin.
Standing Liberty quarters: XF-45
Liberty Seated: VF-20
Walking Liberty: VF-20

MikeInFL

What is the lowest grade that you still like the look of for most circulated coins?

It really depends on the series, but in general the older the coin the more it appeals to me in a lower grade.

To the OP, I have no trouble with a seated dollar with that much meat left on it, and can see why you don't either. Nice coin.

AUandAG

My CC morgans look just great in F15 or so. Love the circulated cameo look to
a pocket carried dollar!
bob

scottgardener

Ditto on that it depends on the series. For that matter, individual dates can vary; one may have to tolerate lower grades when AU or MS examples cost more than a Lexus IS250. For small gold common dates, which would be a good benchmark reference for my collecting range, I would say XF40 would be a good cut-off. Below that, design details start to become noticeably blurred, making it hard to envision how the coin originally appeared.

MidLifeCrisis

Usually XF but I will make exceptions for the right coins.

TomB

If given only a choice of one grade or range then it would be Ch VF for most series as the lowest grade that I typically inspect or retain an interest in buying.

dogwood

I think a Dansco book of original, evenly matched VG10's of almost any classic series looks great.
Individually though I believe VF25 is the lowest I'm really a fan of.

crypto79

Nice coin Dave

droopyd

VF20 unless even that grade is out if my price range.

But even a low-grade coin still has to have eye-appeal.

DennisH

Poor-01.
Even they have a "beauty" I've come to appreciate.

lkeigwin

VF is where I always drew the line. Until I got interested in really early US coins. My chain cent is FR2. LOL.
Lance.

coinman23885

VF in most series except for a lot of early draped bust material and early copper.

lordmarcovan

For most US coins, I would say VG, because G4 coins are usually flat and featureless on the portrait or their main design feature.

And yet I like Indian cents and some coins in G6.

I guess I'll say G6. A coin with at least a little bit of detail in the main design component. Well worn, but not totally flat. Full legends and rims on both sides.

lordmarcovan

Oh, BTW, TNDave- that is a handsome Seated buck. It's a CircCam, y'know.

CircCam contrast can definitely help a lower grade coin look more appealing.

If that same coin had been dipped or polished white? Blegh. You'd lose all the contrast and it would look really flat. (Mind you, I'm not against dipping some pieces that need it, but people who'd clean something like this need a hard smack on the wrist.)

tightbudget

Ideally, I like all my circulated coins in the VF-AU range. But if I had to, I would settle for a Good.

WTCG

In the past I've handled some very low grade coins like Chain Cents and Bust coins that have a lot of eye appeal even in grades as low as F02 and AG3. A lot of it depends on the uniformity of the wear and signs of discoloration.

mumu

Changes by series as many have said but overall I have a thing for AU58 coins.

crypto79

I like the stories a lot of classic AG3's have to tell.

Walkerguy21D

<< <i>VF is where I always drew the line. Until I got interested in really early US coins. My chain cent is FR2. LOL. >>


I agree with this.....I have some pre-1800 large cents and half cents in Good and VG with decent planchets that look just fine to me!

TPRC

AG-3s have character.

kryptonitecomics

I rarely buy circulated coins.....

Baley

For common coins I want a Gem. For scarce coins I try to get VF or better. For rare coins I like em down to VG. For very rare coins, any grade (or even "no grade") is beautiful to me

RWB

Generally, Fine or Very Fine; however, for gold I prefer EF or better.

Tdec1000

<< <i>Poor-01.
Even they have a "beauty" I've come to appreciate. >>

crazyhounddog

VF-35

mozin

For Bust Series I only by AU or better, unless very rare, then XF40.

Classic Commems I only buy MS63 or better.

pocketpiececommems

I like the looks of PO01 Morgan Silver dollars and PO01 of all Seated coinage in regular circulatee coinage. Of course PO01 commems would be my first choice.

SaorAlba

Some coins look better with a bit of wear, others look like chit. Maybe I am just used to seeing Buffers worn out, but I like that look on them - they got long hard use.

dsessom

That's a hard question. It really depends on the series, but generally speaking I'd say F12 is about the lower limit that I like. On certain coins such as Lincoln cents and Morgan dollars, I think anything below AU50 looks like ass - but maybe it's because MS examples are so plentiful in those series.

BillJones

Every since I got my first grading book as a kid collector (the thrid edition of the Brown and Dunn book in the mid 1960s) and started to learn about grading, my minimum grade for most things has been FIne. As an adult I have tried to go no lower than VF, but when this 1796 half dollar came along in Fine-15, I pulled the trigger. The last I knew this coin was pictured on the Coin Facts site as an example of the Fine-15 grade.

ctf_error_coins

AU, as not to many major errors get past that point.

ColonelJessup

<< <i>In the past I've handled some very low grade coins like Chain Cents and Bust coins that have a lot of eye appeal even in grades as low as F02 and AG3. A lot of it depends on the uniformity of the wear and signs of discoloration. >>



totally

Along the same line I've handled two 1794 S$1's that would (gasp) No-Grade. OK, VF details, but in an extreme rarity my condescension is vitiated by reverence.

Shamika

In general, FINE is fine with me.

crypto79

A fun coin PCGS AG3

DoubleEagle59

Generally speaking VF.