Association Grading Standards for United States Coins
Because much of a collectible coin's value depends on its condition, the American Numismatic Association developed official grading standards. By assigning a numerical value to the quality of a coin, the ANA has made it easier for dealers and collectors to determine the accurate value of a coin. Grading services use these guidelines to professionally grade a coin.
Other People Are Reading
-
Numerical Range
-
The ANA official grading standards use a numerical scale that runs from 1 to 70. The higher the number, the better quality the coin. A coin in perfect condition would receive a rating of 70, while one in the poorest possible condition would merit a rating of 1.
Circulated Coin Grades
-
The official circulated coin grades range from 1 to 58. The lowest grade is "poor" and describes a coin in which the mint mark and date are recognizable while the entire surface is worn. Subsequent grades are F (fair), AG (about good), G (good), VG (very good), F (fine), VF (very fine), EF (extremely fine), and AU (about uncirculated). There are also degrees within many of these categories.
-
Uncirculated Coin Grades
-
Grades for uncirculated coins range from 60 to 70, with 70 being the designation for a coin deemed to be perfect. An uncirculated coin carries a prefix of "MS," which stands for "mint state."
Proof Coins
-
Proof coins usually fall into the same range as uncirculated coins, though they can fall below 60 if handled improperly. A proof coin will have a prefix of "PF" before the numerical rating.
Grading Services
-
There are several independent grading services that will assign a numerical value to a coin. Since grading is considered an art, it is often the case that the same coin might receive a different grades from different services. Since the Professional Coin Grading Service and Numismatic Guaranty Corp. are recognized as the most prestigious grading services, their grades are usually considered more accurate. Coins graded by these two services often carry a higher value as well.
-
References
- Photo Credit Morgan Silver Dollar image by Steve Lovegrove from Fotolia.com
