The Coin Grading System

The Coin Grading System
by Robert L Taylor, JD
Coin grading is a term used to refer to the process of determining the condition or quality of a coin, and its full identity. It is essential to know what the grade is of a particular coin, because, as a general matter, the higher the grade of a coin, the higher its numismatic value.
Coins are graded on a 0-70 point scale devised by Dr William Shelby. The details can be found in the Official A.N.A. Grading Standards for United States Coins published by the American Numismatic Association (ANA). Under this method of grading, the higher the point scale accorded a particular coin, the better its quality.
The process of grading a coin is partly subjective and partly an art, rather than a true science. Accurate View the rest of this article