How to Accurately Grade a Coin

A coin of any age and type can be assigned a certain grade depending on the quality of the particular coin. Coin grading can be done by anyone but it generally takes a coin dealer or numismatist to accurately and correctly grade a coin. However, there are ways in which an average person can grade coins that are in their collections. Grading coins involves more than just assuming it should be one type of grade or another.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Buy a pair of latex gloves when handling coins. Wearing latex gloves keeps residue from getting on the coin which can wear a coin over time.

2. Buy a magnifying glass to use when looking at a coin. A magnifying glass will help when looking for certain features that are hard to see.

3. Look at the general features of a coin. This would be crispness or any wearing that makes features dull or hard to see.

4. Look for obvious defects such as scratches and blemishes. Many times defects can only be seen by using a magnifying glass to view a coin.

5. Do some research to see how others are grading a similar coin. There may be a feature or some other aspect of a coin that may have been overlooked.

Tips & Warnings

• Grading a coin is not a guessing game and takes practice to know what to look for on a particular coin.
• Incorrectly grading a coin can cause problems when attempting to sell it.

Resources

• Professional Coin Grading Service