All About Coin Collecting: Grade Coins with Ease

Grading Coins is important to guarantee the quality of coins you collect. And the grade is measured using a scale from zero to seventy (seventy being the highest point grade). Doctor William Shelby introduced this point scale in his work “Penny Whimsy”.

By grading coins, following are the classifications of coins you arrive at.

1. “Mint State” Coins

This is equivalent to a value of 60 to 70 in the Shelby’s grade scale. This means that the coin has no blemishes whatsoever. Most of the coins in this category are uncirculated, shiny, new coins, with absolutely no signs of wear.

2. “Almost Uncirculated” Coins

The “Almost Uncirculated” coins have a point grade of 50, 55, or 58.

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2000 Transportation $20 Series The Bluenose
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1939 CANADA SILVER DOLLAR ICCS MS 65 GEM
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1946 CANADA SILVER DOLLAR ICCS MS 64 GEM
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1947 CANADA SILVER DOLLAR Ptd 7 DOT 2XHP ICCS MS 60
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1991 Canada 25 cent ICCS Certified MS 65
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1948 CANADA SILVER 50 CENT ICCS MS 64 KEY DATE
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1992 Canada 125 Proof Quarter set w loon Original Blue
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1950 CANADA SILVER DOLLAR ICCS MS 66 GEM
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1954 CANADA SILVER 50 CENT ICCS MS 65 GEM
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1955 CANADA SILVER DOLLAR ARN W DIE BREAKS ICCS MS 64
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1934 Canada Silver 50 Cent VF EF
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1959 CANADA SILVER 50 CENT ICCS MS 65 GEM
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1967 CANADA SILVER DOLLAR ICCS MS 65 GEM
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1983 CANADA NICKEL 50 CENT ICCS MS 66 GEM
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2005 CANADA LOON DOLLAR TERRY FOX ICCS MS 67
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2010 $5 Olympic Edition 3 Coin Silver Set GST Exempt
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2010 Olympic $1 Commemorative Coin The Sun
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1913 1952 CANADIAN QUARTER COLLECTION 33 COINS
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1956 Canada Silver Dollar ICCS PL 65 Cameo
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1999 $350 The Golden Slipper 99999 Pure Gold
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2010 Olympic $200 Gold Coin First Canadian Olympic Gold
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1954 Canada 50 cent ICCS Certified PL 66 Cameo
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1948 Canada Silver Dollar ICCS Certified AU 55
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1974 Nickel Dollar ICCS Certified SP 66 VCR 13
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1908 Canada 50 cent ICCS Certified F 15
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1974 Nickel Dollar ICCS MS 60 VCR 12
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1974 Nickel Dollar Proof Like VCR 15
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18K SOLID GOLD 1971 BRITISH COLUMBIA CENTENNIAL MEDAL
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1948 Canada 1 cent ICCS MS 64 A to Denticle
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1974 Proof like Unicrculated set VCR 11
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1948 CANADA 50 CENT ICCS EF 40 CU775 KEY DATE
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1996 Canadian Proof $2 Piefort and Bank Note Set
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1974 Proof like Unicrculated set VCR 13
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10B 7x Mixed lots of 1937 1984 Silver Dollars ICCS
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RCM RARE 1999 2000 CHINESE SPECIAL ED MILLENNIUM COINS
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1974 Yoke8 Variety Proof like Unicrculated set
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1983 CANADA GOLD 10 DOLLAR COIN Maple Leaf Currency
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2 Canadian Coin booklets Small cents and Nickels
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1990 Canada Loon Dollar Original Roll of 25pcs
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1897 Canada Large Cent See HQ Pics
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RCM LTD ED 1998 HOCKEY HALL OF FAME MEDALLION
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Canada 1889 25 Cent quarter Certified VF 20 Trend $1000
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1996 Canada Two Dollar Original Roll of 25pcs
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Canada 1947 Bt7 $1 EF45 Repunched 7
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1 oz ounce 1989 Canadian 9999 Gold Maple Leaf Coin
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RARE CANADIAN 1872 H FIFTY CENT COIN
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It is very important to note that in these coins, coin collectors must know the locations of the high points in a particular coin. By checking the difference of the light reflected in the high points to the other parts of the coin, an “Almost Uncirculated” coin is separated from the Mint State coins.

3. “Fine Coins”

These can further be classified as” Extremely Fine” (40, 45), “Very Fine” (20, 25, 30, and 35) or “Fine” (12) depending on the sharpness of the remaining details on the coins. The coins are observed to have wear but the designs are still intact.

For “Extremely Fine” coins, the mint luster is still present.

“Very Fine” coins can be compared to coins which have been used for 1-3 years. Minor features of the coins are already gone.

4. “Good Coins

These coins can be specifically defined as “Very Good” (12), “Good” and “Almost Good” coins.

The coins in this category are worn out. Only weak designs can be observed since the details of the coins in the high points are nearly smooth.

Full rims must be observed for the “Very Good” coins category.

In the case of “Good” coins, the mint mark and the date must be visible.

On the other hand, “Almost Good” coins are the most worn of coins in this category.

5. “Fair Coins”

The coins are “worn out”, but can still be distinguished as belonging to one of the types of coins - as long as one can identify a coin, it is a “Fair C”.

6. “Basal Coin”

These metals that can be determined to be coins - but the kind of coin are undeterminable.

With the classifications described, it will be very easy for grading coins and ascertain the quality of your coin collection. Just remember that knowledge of the coins’ grades gives coin collectors advantages!

Posted under: Uncategorized Wednesday, January 7th, 2009

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