Uncirculated vs. Mint State

291fifth · October 30, 2008 6:42AM

Based on current "market grading" they are not the same. Many holdered "mint state" coins are not the equivalent of the old "uncirculated."

True "uncirculated" coins have no wear. Many "mint state" coins do exhibit wear.

Your comments?

AUandAG · October 30, 2008 6:47AM

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat? I do believe that a coin that is MINT STATE means it has
not circulated and in thus UNCIRCULATED. How else could it be?
One and the same to me, just west coast and east coast lingo.
bob

ozzyfan269 · October 30, 2008 6:50AM

You must be buying from Coast to Coast coins. LOL

MrEureka · October 30, 2008 6:58AM

Many holdered "mint state" coins are not the equivalent of the old "uncirculated."

MS = UNC and always has. Maybe you are under the impression that people didn't overgrade in the "good old days"? Sorry, wrong.

Unknown · October 30, 2008 8:07AM

This content has been removed.

19Lyds · October 30, 2008 8:33AM

Easy Realone, breaks in luster on the high points.

This baloney about an uncirculated coin having never circulated is just that, baloney. All coins are circulated, technically, as soon as they leave the mint. By the pure definition of uncirculated, only a coin pulled directly from the press and then holdered would "truely" be uncirculated.

To promote wear as in the "wearing down of the surface" and create luster breaks, is incredibly difficult to do. Luster breaks do take a while to form on current copper nickel clad coins and even 90% silver coins.

I've got a pocketful of 40% Silver Clad IKEs that I've been beating up for nearly 3 months now and they are still AU coins.

Sunnywood · October 30, 2008 9:03AM

I agree with Andy; there is simply no difference between "mint state" and "uncirculated" as categories or descriptions of numismatic condition. You might try to find semantic differences in the common usage meanings of the words, but that is not relevant. As technical terms they are precisely synonymous.

MS = UNC

Best,
Sunnywood

segoja · October 30, 2008 9:07AM

Synonyms...my english would be proud

Steve27 · October 30, 2008 9:15AM

The following coin is uncirculated, but not Mint State:

segoja · October 30, 2008 10:35AM

HMMMMM It says MS on the holder, and PCGS put it there, therefore it must be mint state.

Sunnywood · October 30, 2008 1:39PM

Again, this is simply a confusion of the technical term "mint state" (which means uncirculated) vs. the literal common usage of the same term (which could be construed to mean "exactly as it came off the press"). Using the latter interpretation, no coin with abrasions from a Mint bag or Mint hopper would be "mint state," nor would any coin with toning. No MS60, MS63 or MS65 would be "mint state" as they have all been impaired since coming off the press (otherwise they would all grade MS70). That may be an interesting literal interpretation, but it's simply not what the term means among numismatists.

Best,
Sunnywood

MillerJW · October 30, 2008 2:25PM

Ooo I hated english:

If Mint Sate = Uncirculated than What i did on the toilet = ???

Quarternut · October 30, 2008 2:53PM

Me thinks the OP meant something else than what you have all been answering...

I believe he means that there are many coins encased in slabs that state they are "Mint State", but are in actuality what would be termed "sliders" or choice AU-58's with very minimal wear and very nice eye appeal and strikes. We all know that the TPG’s (especially PCGS) slabs coins based on value, not on technical grade. Therefore there are coins labeled as Mint State that aren't.

The question is...which coin is better to own?

Such is the state of things…that is why it is best to always buy the coin, and not the holder…at least that is MHO...

QN

abitofthisabitofthat · October 30, 2008 7:41PM

<< <i>Me thinks the OP meant something else than what you have all been answering...

I believe he means that there are many coins encased in slabs that state they are "Mint State", but are in actuality what would be termed "sliders" or choice AU-58's with very minimal wear and very nice eye appeal and strikes. We all know that the TPG’s (especially PCGS) slabs coins based on value, not on technical grade. Therefore there are coins labeled as Mint State that aren't.

The question is...which coin is better to own?

Such is the state of things…that is why it is best to always buy the coin, and not the holder…at least that is MHO...

QN >>

I definitely agree. There are many coins with a touch of rub or luster break that can go either way at the TPGs. When submitting a coin with a bit of cabinet friction, as an example, The coin may grade AU58 or MS61, depending on a number of factors, one of which I believe is value. The 81-S Morgan will likely 58 every time. The early Bust Dollar would be more likely to get the 61 if it was really nice. Therefore MS and Unc may not be the same, at least for certain coins. There is an element or market acceptability involved. JMHO.

Uncirculated vs. Mint State

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