A Primer on Coin Grades

As an experienced buyer and seller of a variety of coins and antique jewelry, “Kota” Saint Jovite Youngblood works to supply collectibles to a network of dealers. His company, Youngblood Metals Mining, has been in business in Monrovia, California, for seven years. Saint Jovite Youngblood’s previous experience with coins includes a management position with Miracle Mile Coin Center in San Marino.

Professionals grade previously circulated coins according to a standard scale that descends from 70 down to 1 and includes a system of descriptive adjectives. These descriptors range from “AU,” or “about uncirculated,” all the way down to “PO-1,” or so “poor” that most if not all of the identifying features have weathered away, making a piece close to unrecognizable. Not surprisingly, most coins on the market today fall somewhere between these extremes.

The second-highest grade achievable, “XF” (sometimes abbreviated “EF”) indicates that a coin is “extremely fine.” Such coins display only minuscule wear. A “very fine” (“VF”) piece will clearly show all its details and exhibit no more than medium wear. A “fine” coin, by contrast, will definitely show some moderate wear, with some of its raised points showing an obvious wearing-away. Other gradations on the scale include “very good,” “good,” “about good,” and “fair.”

Dr. William Sheldon devised the original of this grading system almost 70 years ago. His scale is now in use by both the American Numismatic Association and the Professional Coin Grading Service.

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