In coin grading, is Basal state the same as Poor?

ajaan

PCGS has Poor as 01. Will a Basal state coin be 00? Is Basal state still used nowadays?

savoyspecial

whether right or wrong, here is how i see the two:

poor: i can still tell year/mm

basal: i can only tell what type the coin is (draped bust lg. cent/ classic head/ etc.) -- cant tell date or other details

commoncents05

<< <i>whether right or wrong, here is how i see the two:

poor: i can still tell year/mm

basal: i can only tell what type the coin is (draped bust lg. cent/ classic head/ etc.) -- cant tell date or other details >>



That is how I understand it as well.

-Paul

Overdate

<< <i>basal: i can only tell what type the coin is (draped bust lg. cent/ classic head/ etc.) -- cant tell date or other details >>


What if the design is all gone, but it still has the weight/dimensions of, say, a large cent?

-01? AB (about basal)?

MrHalfDime

According to the original Sheldon grading scale, which was purely mathematical, by definition the Basal State was P-01. All others were multiples of that, up to 70.

jmcu12

I too think only being able to determine the type would be basil state. I have one, it is a Bust Dollar, you can see the outline of the bust on obverse. On the reverse you can see the outlines of some of the clouds and the A in America.

DeliaBug

<< <i>According to the original Sheldon grading scale, which was purely mathematical, by definition the Basal State was P-01. All others were multiples of that, up to 70. >>



Absolutely correct. If a basal state coin was worth $8, then in theory a 45 would be appx $360, a 60 $480, etc.

ajaan

jmcu12, I love that Bust Dollar.

BillJones

To qualify as a Sheldon BS-1, you had to be able to determine the Sheldon variety of the piece. Also a BS-1 was defined as very badly worn, but not damaged. I would not grade a dateless coin which cannot have its date determined as a BS-1. It is something lower.

BTW it is possible to determine the Sheldon number of a large cent even it does not have a readable date. I know because I have done it.