Coin Grading

When grading coins and currency one must take into consideration the 1-70 scale developed by William H. Sheldon, the author of Penny Whimsy.  Aa very good book on large cents.  For those who don't know, Sheldon believed that the grade of a large cent should match the dollar amount being paid for the piece.  For eample,  po1=$1 fr2=$2 ag3=$3 and so on.  People when grading should take into consideration the time the piece was made, technolgy, economoic conditions, and material.  An example would be money during the great depression, it was quite heavyly used and also mintage numbers.  One key item is materials.  Copper is very seceptible to corrosion, nickel tones to gold and blue, silver also tones, gold is soft, magnanese, brass and is weak, platinum is hard and wears down the dies in the presses. 

Now onto to all grades...

po1= poor

fr2=fair

ag3=about good

g4=good

vg8=very good

f12=fine

vf20= very fine

vf 30=very fine choice

xf40=extra fine

xf45=extra fine choice

au50=about uncirculated

au55=about uncirculated better

au58=about uncirculated choice

ms60=mint state uncirculated typical

ms63=mint state uncirculated choice

ms65-69=mint state uncirculated very choice

ms70=mint state uncirculated perfect

These numbers also work on proofs just change the ms numbers for pr or pf numbers and grades can be split to accomodate the piece g=6 vg=10 f15 vf=25.  These numbers here would be considered choice for those grades. 

I hope this helps people in there grading toning=color.

~Aces