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MS-70: PERFECT UNCIRCULATED
MS-70:
MARKS: An MS-70 coin has no defects of any kind visible with a 5X (5-power) glass. Note: Minor die
polish, light die breaks, etc., are NOT considered defects on business-strike coins.
STRIKE: The strike is
razor sharp, and will show 99+ percent of the detail intended.
LUSTER: The luster is vibrant and undisturbed
in any way. Any toning will be attractive. Only the slightest mellowing of color is acceptable for red copper.
EYE APPEAL: The eye appeal is spectacular. The ultimate grade!
MS-69: SUPERB GEM UNCIRCULATED
MS-69:
MARKS: A virtually perfect coin. It usually takes an intense study of the surfaces to
ascertain why the coin won't grade MS-70. Only the slightest contact marks, nearly invisible hairlines, the tiniest
planchet flaws, etc., are allowable for this grade. Note: Slight die polish, medium die breaks, or slight incomplete
striking are NOT defects.
STRIKE: The strike is extremely sharp, and will show 99+ percent of the detail
intended.
LUSTER: The luster will be full and unbroken. Any toning must be attractive. Only the slightest
mellowing of color is acceptable for red copper, and only the slightest unevenness of color for red-brown and brown
copper.
EYE APPEAL: Superb!
MS-68: SUPERB GEM UNCIRCULATED
MS-68:
MARKS:
A nearly perfect coin, with only slight imperfections visible to the unaided eye. The imperfections (tiny contact
marks, minuscule hairlines, a small lint mark, etc.) will almost always be out of the range of the coin's focal points.
STRIKE: The strike will be exceptionally sharp.
LUSTER: The luster will be full (or virtually so)
and "glowing," with any luster breaks being extremely minor and usually restricted to the high points. Slight
unevenness in toning is acceptable, as long as it is still attractive. Red copper may show some mellowing, and there
may be some unevenness of color for red-brown and brown copper.
EYE APPEAL: Exceptional, with no major
detractions. Any negativity will be compensated for by another area that is spectacular. (Example: The head on the
MS-68 Walking Liberty half dollar is a little too softly struck for the grade, but the coin has the most beautiful
rainbow toning imaginable - ergo, MS-68.)
MS-67: SUPERB GEM UNCIRCULATED
MS-67:
MARKS: Any abrasions on the coin are extremely light and/or well hidden in the design and do not detract from the
coin's beauty in any way. As with MS-68 coins, the fields on smaller coins are usually nearly flawless, especially on
the obverse. On large silver coins with smooth devices (Morgan dollars, for instance), the flaws will usually be found
in the fields; on large gold coins (such as Liberty Head $20s), the fields will usually be superb in this grade, with
only minor flaws in the devices.
STRIKE: The strike will be very sharp, and almost always full.
LUSTER: The luster will be outstanding. Any toning (even if slightly uneven) must be attractive and not impede the
luster in any way. Red copper can have mellowing of color, and there can be unevenness of color for red-brown and brown
copper. Minute spotting, if present, should be virtually unnoticeable.
EYE APPEAL: In almost all cases, the
eye appeal will be superb. An MS-67 coin is a visual knockout, and any deficiencies will be compensated for in another
area.
MS-66: GEM UNCIRCULATED
MS-66:
MARKS: There may be several minor, but
noticeable, defects. If marks or hairlines are in an important focal area, then they must be minimal and compensated
for by the rest of the coin's being superb.
STRIKE: The coin will be well struck.
LUSTER: The
luster will be above average (usually far above average), and any toning should be attractive and only minimally impede
the luster. Red copper can have mellowing of color, and there can unevenness of color for red-brown and brown copper.
Very minor spotting may be present, though it should be noticed only upon close examination. A dipped coin must be
"fresh" in appearance and never give the impression of being cleaned.
EYE APPEAL: The eye appeal will almost
always be above average for a gem-quality coin, and many MS-66 coins will be superb in this category. Any negative
factors must be compensated for in another area.
MS-65: GEM UNCIRCULATED
MS-65:
MARKS: There may be several scattered marks, hairlines, or other minor defects. If the flaws are in a main focal area,
then they must be minor and fewer. Hidden marks and hairlines can be larger. On dime type and smaller, they almost
always must be in the devices or be very minor if they are in the fields. On larger coins, there can be marks/hairlines
in the fields and in the devices, though no major ones.
STRIKE: The coin will be well struck.
LUSTER: The luster will be average (almost always above average), and any toning can only slightly impede the luster.
Copper coins can have mellowing of color for red and unevenness of color for red-brown or brown coins. Note: There can
be minor spotting for copper coins.
EYE APPEAL: The eye appeal will be average or above. This is a very nice
coin. However, there are many ways a coin can grade MS-65. This grade (or MS/Proof-64) may have the largest range of
eye appeal. A coin may grade MS-65 with scattered light marks, but with great luster and strike - or a coin with
virtually no marks but slightly impeded luster also could be MS-65. The overall eye appeal still must be positive or
the coin does not merit MS-65.
MS-64: CHOICE UNCIRCULATED
MS-64:
MARKS: There may be numerous
minor marks/hairlines, several significant marks/hairlines, or other defects . There may be a few minor marks/hairlines
in the main focal areas or one or two significant marks/hairlines in the main focal areas. On minor coinage (dime
coinage and smaller), there may be several marks/hairlines in the fields or main focal areas, though none should be too
severe. On larger coins, these marks/hairlines may be more severe in the fields or main focal areas. However, a severe
mark/hairline would have to be of a size that would preclude grading the coin MS-65 though not so severe as to reduce
the coin to MS-63. If there are several fairly heavy marks/hairlines in obvious areas, then the coin would grade MS-63.
STRIKE: The strike will range from average to full.
LUSTER: The luster can be slightly below
average to full, and toning can impede the luster. On brilliant coins, there may be breaks in the luster caused by
marks or hairlines. Red copper can be considerably mellowed. There may be noticeable spotting for this grade, though
heavy or large spotting would reduce the grade to MS-63 or below.
EYE APPEAL: The eye appeal can range from
slightly negative to very positive. This is a nice coin, so anything too negative would preclude the MS-64 grade.
Balance is a key. A coin with marks/hairlines in obvious focal areas would have to have great luster or some other
positive factor to attain MS-64. A coin with less severe marks/hairlines hidden in devices could have impaired luster
or some other problem and still be graded MS-64. Coins with deficiencies and no redeeming characteristics are graded
MS-63 or lower.
MS-63: CHOICE UNCIRCULATED
MS-63:
MARKS: There may be numerous
marks/hairlines, including several major marks/hairlines in main focal areas. If there are distracting marks/hairlines
on the major devices, then the fields should be relatively clean. If there are distracting marks/hairlines in the
fields, then the devices should have less disturbance.
STRIKE: The strike will range from slightly below
average to full.
LUSTER: The luster can be below average to full. The toning can seriously impede the luster.
On brilliant coins, there can be significant breaks in the luster. Red copper can be considerably mellowed. There can
be noticeable spotting, including several large spots or a group of small ones. Note: If the luster is poor, then the
coin would NOT be graded MS-63 even if the strike were full and the marks/hairlines were acceptable for the grade.
EYE APPEAL: The eye appeal can be slightly negative to very positive. The "average" MS-63 will have neutral eye
appeal (noticeable marks/hairlines, average to above average strike, and average luster). However, quite a few coins
are graded MS-63 because of negative appearance. If either the luster, strike, or marks/hairlines are below the
standards set forth here, then one of the other criteria must be exceptional for the coin to attain MS-63.
MS-62: UNCIRCULATED
MS-62:
MARKS: The marks/hairlines may cover most of the coin. If the
marks/hairlines are light, they may be scattered across the entire coin. If there are several severe marks/hairlines,
then the rest of the coin should be relatively clean.
STRIKE: The strike can range from very weak (some New
Orleans Mint Morgan dollars, for example) to full.
LUSTER: The luster can range from poor to vibrant..
EYE APPEAL: The eye appeal will be negative to slightly positive. The negativity in this grade usually involves
excessive marks/hairlines and/or the strike and/or lack of luster and/or unattractive toning . There can be one to
three of the major criteria which contribute to negative eye appeal. Even coins with overall positive eye appeal
usually have one or two areas that are negative. Thus, a coin with numerous marks/hairlines but with average strike and
luster may grade MS-62, while a coin with just a few marks (probably in the wrong places) and weak strike and luster
also may grade MS-62.
MS-61: UNCIRCULATED
MS-61:
MARKS: There may be
marks/hairlines across the entire coin. There may be several severe contact marks/hairlines. If there are numerous
large marks/hairlines in the main focal areas, then the fields should be cleaner, though they still could have some
contact marks/hairlines. On larger coins (half dollars and larger), there may be areas with almost no marks/hairlines.
STRIKE: The strike can range from very weak to full.
LUSTER: The luster may be poor, average, or
full.
EYE APPEAL: The eye appeal will be very negative to very slightly positive.
MS-60:
UNCIRCULATED
MS-60:
MARKS: Numerous. The marks/hairlines will probably cover all of the coin's
surface. On larger coins (half dollars and higher), there may be some areas that have few or no marks/hairlines. The
marks/hairlines can be large and in prime focal areas. Note: Sometimes the mark is NOT from "normal" contact with other
coins or from circulation, and thus would be considered damage, and the coin might not be graded.
STRIKE: The
strike can range from very weak to full.
LUSTER: The luster may be poor, average, or full.
EYE
APPEAL: The eye appeal can be very negative to neutral.
* CIRCULATED STANDARDS *
AU-58: VERY CHOICE ALMOST UNCIRCULATED
AU-58:
WEAR: There will be slight wear on the highest points of the coin. In some cases, 5X magnification is
needed to notice this wear, and sometimes it can be noticed by slowly tilting the coin in the light source. This method
often may show the slight friction as discoloration. Very often, the obverse will have slight friction and the reverse
will be full mint state (often MS-63 or higher).
MARKS: There are usually very few marks for this grade.
Instead of marks, the principal detractions on the typical AU-58 coin are rub or hairlines. The few marks should not be
major or in prime focal areas. A coin that would grade AU-58 from a wear standpoint, but has numerous marks, would be
graded AU-55 or lower.
STRIKE: The strike can range from below average to full. Note: A very weak strike
would be downgraded to AU-55 or lower.
LUSTER: The luster can range from poor to full. There will be
noticeable breaks in the luster on the high points. These areas will be visible to the unaided eye, but should be less
than 10 percent of the surface area.
EYE APPEAL: The eye appeal is usually very good. Since marks are usually
very minor, the eye appeal will be determined mainly by strike, luster, and originality. Many AU-58 coins are lightly
cleaned or dipped uncirculated coins which are no longer considered uncirculated because of the light cleaning or
rubbing that is now present. These coins can be just as attractive as coins that are graded AU-58 because of slight
circulation - and sometimes even more so. Often these coins will have fewer marks than low- grade uncirculated coins.
AU-55: CHOICE ALMOST UNCIRCULATED
AU-55:
WEAR: There will be slight wear on the
high points and some friction in the fields. The reverse will now usually show wear similar to that on the obverse. In
a few instances (coins stored face up that have acquired friction), the reverse will still be uncirculated.
MARKS: There usually will be several minor marks/hairlines and a couple of major ones. These should be scattered
between the devices and fields, with nothing too severe on the prime focal areas.
STRIKE: The strike will
range from slightly weak to full.
LUSTER: The luster can range from poor to full, though the areas of wear
will not show full luster. There will be breaks in the luster covering 10 to 25 percent of the surface.
EYE
APPEAL: The eye appeal is usually good. The main criteria will be surface preservation, lack of and placement of
marks/hairlines, luster remaining, and originality.
AU-53: ALMOST UNCIRCULATED
AU-53:
WEAR: There will be obvious wear on the high points. Friction will cover 50 to 75 percent of the fields.
MARKS: There usually will be several minor and major marks/hairlines. These will be scattered, or there can be small
concentrated areas of them, including the prime focal areas.
STRIKE: The strike will range from weak to full.
LUSTER: The luster can range from poor to full, though rubbed areas will not exhibit as much luster as the
protected areas. There will be noticeable breaks in luster over half to three-fourths of the coin.
EYE
APPEAL: The eye appeal now is a function of surface preservation, lack of and placement of marks/hairlines, luster
remaining , and originality.
AU-50: ALMOST UNCIRCULATED
AU-50:
WEAR: There is wear evident.
There can be friction in the fields ranging from half to all of the unprotected areas. The high points will have wear
that is very obvious to the unaided eye.
MARKS: There may be many marks/hairlines. However, many minor
marks/hairlines will be worn away, as much of the original surface shows wear.
STRIKE: The strike will range
from weak to full.
LUSTER: The luster can range from poor to full. From 50 to 100 percent of the surface may
have luster disturbance. In some cases, the only luster remaining will be around protected devices.
EYE
APPEAL: The eye appeal is now a function of surface preservation, lack of and placement of marks/hairlines, luster
remaining, and originality.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------- NOTE: COINS THAT
GRADE EF/PR-45 AND BELOW ARE GRADED ESSENTIALLY THE SAME FOR REGULAR AND PROOF STRIKES. THEREFORE, FROM HERE ON, THE
CRITERIA WILL BE THE SAME FOR BOTH, WITH EXCEPTIONS NOTED.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
EF-45: CHOICE EXTEMELY
FINE
EF-45:
WEAR: The amount of wear will be noticeable, with all details still sharp and
clear, and with definition between individual parts of the devices. Approximately 95 percent of the original major
detail is still evident.
MARKS: There may be a couple of very minor marks.
LUSTER: There can be
some luster in the devices. Sometimes there can be considerable luster in the fields. However, if there is no luster
present, a coin still can grade EF-45 if the detail is exceptional.
STRIKE: The strike will range from below
average to full. For weakly struck coins with wear consistent with EF-45, the grade would probably be EF-40 or lower.
EYE APPEAL: The eye appeal will be determined by the cleanness of surface, lack of or placement of marks, and
originality.
EF-40: EXTREMELY FINE
EF-40:
WEAR: The amount of wear is now quite
evident. Some of the highest points of the coin's detail are worn away. Some definition of individual parts of the
devices will be worn down. Approximately 90 percent of the original major detail is still evident.
MARKS:
There may be a few minor marks or perhaps one medium-size mark.
LUSTER: There will be minimal luster
remaining. For many coins, there may be no luster except for slight amounts around devices such as stars, arrows, etc..
STRIKE: The strike will range from below average to full.
EYE APPEAL: Eye appeal will be determined
by clean surfaces, lack of and placement of marks, and originality.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------- NOTE: (1) SINCE LUSTER IS SELDOM EVIDENT
FOR GRADES VF-35 AND BELOW, LUSTER IS NOT LISTED AS A CRITERION FOR THESE GRADES. SOME VF GRADES WILL EXHIBIT MINOR
AMOUNTS OF LUSTER, BUT THESE ARE THE EXCEPTIONS. (2) SINCE CIRCULATED COINS ARE GRADED MOSTLY BY THE AMOUNT OF WEAR OR
LACK THEREOF, FOR THE GRADES VF-35 AND LOWER, STRIKE WILL BE INCORPORATED INTO THE CRITERIA FOR WEAR.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
VF-35: VERY FINE
VF-35:
WEAR: The devices are sharp and clear, but there is noticeable wear in the individual components of
the devices, though little blending of detail is evident. Approximately 60 to 80 percent of the detail survives.
MARKS: At most, expect several minor marks or one or two medium-sized ones, though on large coins such as silver
dollars and twenty-dollar gold pieces, there may multiple medium marks and a few heavy marks.
EYE APPEAL: Any
eye appeal will be due to clean surfaces, lack of and placement of marks, and originality.
VF-30: VERY
FINE
VF-30:
WEAR: The devices will be sharp and somewhat clear, with very little blending among
the details. Approximately 50 to 75 percent of the original detail survives in this grade.
MARKS: At the
most, expect several minor marks or one or two larger ones - though, as noted under VF-35, large coins may have more
and heavier marks.
EYE APPEAL: Any eye appeal will be due to clean surfaces, lack of and placement of marks,
and originality.
VF-25: VERY FINE
VF-25:
WEAR: The devices are clear, though some
sharpness is lacking, and minor detail is starting to blend. Approximately 50 to 60 percent of the original detail is
evident.
MARKS: There may be minor and/or medium marks or, as noted previously, multiple medium and large
marks on larger coins.
EYE APPEAL: Any eye appeal will be due to clean surfaces, lack of and placement of
marks, and originality.
VF-20: VERY FINE
VF-20:
WEAR: There will be detail in
major devices, though some blending may be evident. For types with "LIBERTY," all the letters will be visible, though
some may be indistinct. For reverses with eagles, breast feathers will be mostly worn away and wing feathers will show
most of their detail.
MARKS: There may be minor, medium, or large marks, but not enough to detract from the overall
grade.
EYE APPEAL: The cleanness of surface and lack of marks constitute most of the eye appeal. The
originality of the coin also is a factor in the eye appeal and ultimately the grade. Lightly cleaned coins are almost
always penalized one or more grading points. Light cleaning on lower-grade coins (i.e., F-15 and below) is not quite as
important to the overall grade. Note: Heavy cleaning is NOT acceptable (or even gradable) except for the very low
grades (P-1 through AG-3).
F-15: FINE
F-15:
WEAR: The major devices have moderate
detail and some distinctness of design is evident For series with "LIBERTY," most of the letters are at least partly
visible. For types with eagles, the breast feathers may be worn completely and wing feathers will show from 25 to 50
percent of their detail.
MARKS: There may be minor, medium , or large marks, but nothing too severe.
EYE APPEAL: Any eye appeal is due to surface preservation and lack of marks.
F-12: FINE
F-12:
WEAR: There will be some detail visible in the major devices. For series with "LIBERTY," there will be
four or five letters partly or wholly visible.
MARKS: There may be minor, medium, or large marks, but nothing
too severe.
EYE APPEAL: Any eye appeal will be due to clean surfaces and lack of marks.
VG-10:
VERY GOOD
VG-10:
WEAR: There will be some detail visible in the major devices, though most are
worn smooth. All devices/lettering will be quite clear. For series with "LIBERTY," there will be from one to three
letters visible or parts of up to five letters evident.
MARKS: A few minor, medium, and large marks may be
evident, though they cannot be too severe. There should be no major marks. If the marks are too severe, the coin will
not be graded.
EYE APPEAL: Any eye appeal is due to clean surfaces and lack of marks.
VG-8: VERY
GOOD
VG-8:
WEAR: There will be a few details visible in the devices. The peripheral
devices/lettering will be sharp and clear. The rims will be complete for all series. For coins with "LIBERTY," there
will be one or two letters visible or parts of several letters evident.
MARKS: There should be no major
marks, since most will be worn away.
EYE APPEAL: Any eye appeal is due to clean surfaces and lack of marks.
G-6:
GOOD
G-6:
WEAR: All devices will be worn smooth, but the outlines will be sharp. The minor
devices/lettering around the periphery will be clear. Note: For some series (Barber coinage, in particular), there will
be slight wear into the reverse rim that touches some letters.
MARKS: There can be some minor marks, though
major ones will be worn away.
EYE APPEAL: Any eye appeal will be due to clean surfaces and lack of marks.
G-4: GOOD
G-4:
WEAR: Only the outlines of the major devices are still visible. The
minor devices/lettering around the periphery will be worn but still clear. Note: For some series (Barber coinage, in
particular), there will be some wear into the top parts of the reverse lettering.
MARKS: There may be marks,
but they should not be severe.
EYE APPEAL: Virtually no eye appeal, but nice even wear can be pleasing to the
eye.
AG-3: ABOUT GOOD
AG-3:
WEAR: The wear will be considerable, with the rims
mostly gone, sometimes blending with devices.
MARKS: There may be numerous marks, but usually the surfaces
are smooth from wear.
EYE APPEAL: None.
FR-2: FAIR
FR-2:
WEAR: There
will only be partial device detail visible. The date can be weak or almost missing. The rims may be worn completely.
MARKS: There may be numerous marks, but usually the surfaces are smooth from wear.
EYE APPEAL:
None.
PO-1: POOR
PO-1:
WEAR: The amount of wear is so massive that sometimes only
the date and a few details are visible. If the date is not visible, the coin can be graded only if it is a one-year
type.
MARKS: There can be numerous marks, though when a coin is this worn, the marks are usually worn down
also.
EYE APPEAL: None.
* PROOF STANDARDS *
PROOF-70: PERFECT PROOF
PROOF-70:
MARKS: There can be no defects visible with a 5X glass. A Proof-70 coin is 100 percent free of hairlines, planchet
flaws, lint marks, and any other mint-caused or post-striking defects.
STRIKE: The strike is full, showing
all of the intended detail.
LUSTER: The surfaces are fully reflective (if applicable) and undisturbed in any
way. Any toning must be attractive. Red copper must have no breaks in the color, and only the slightest mellowing is
acceptable.
EYE APPEAL: Nothing short of spectacular.
PROOF-69: SUPERB GEM PROOF
PROOF-69:
MARKS: This coin will appear perfect to the unaided eye. Upon magnification, one or two minute
imperfections (extremely minor hairlines, a previously hidden lint mark, a flake from the planchet, etc.) will be in
evidence. Note: Slight die polish, very minor die breaks, or incomplete striking will NOT preclude a coin from
attaining this grade.
STRIKE: The strike will be full, showing all of the detail intended..
LUSTER: The surfaces must be fully reflective (if applicable) and not negatively affected by
toning or patina. Any toning must be attractive. Slight mellowing of color is allowed for red copper, and only the
slightest unevenness of color for red-brown and brown copper.
EYE APPEAL: Superb! Any hint of negativity must
be compensated for in another area. Note: Darkly toned proof coins will NOT grade Proof-69.
PROOF-68:
SUPERB GEM PROOF
PROOF-68:
MARKS: A Proof-68 coin will have minor defects barely visible to the
unaided eye - defects that usually go unnoticed at first look. These will usually include one of the following:
virtually undetectable hairlines, a small planchet flaw, or an unobtrusive lint mark. Such defects, no matter how
minor, should not be in a conspicuous place such as Liberty's cheek or the obverse field.
STRIKE: The strike
will be full, showing virtually all of the detail intended.
LUSTER: The coin must be fully reflective (if
applicable) or virtually so. Any toning must be attractive, but slight unevenness is allowable. Some mellowing of color
is allowed for red copper, and some unevenness of color for red-brown and brown copper.
EYE APPEAL: The eye
appeal will be exceptional. Any hint of negativity will be compensated for in another area.
PROOF-67:
SUPERB GEM PROOF
PROOF-67:
MARKS: Any defects visible to the unaided eye will be minor. These
could include unobtrusive hairlines, one or more very minor contact marks, a stray lint mark or two, a well-hidden
planchet flaw, etc. If the eye is immediately drawn to a defect, that almost always will preclude the coin from grading
Proof-67.
STRIKE: The strike will be full or exceptionally sharp.
LUSTER: The reflectivity must be
nearly full (if applicable). Toning may dark or uneven, but not both. Red copper can have mellowing of color, and there
can be unevenness of color for red-brown and brown copper. Minute spotting, if present, should be virtually
unnoticeable.
EYE APPEAL: Superb, or nearly so. Any negativity must be compensated for in another area.
Darkly toned coins are almost always penalized at least one grade point at this level - i.e., a Proof-67 coin that is
dark would grade at least Proof-68 if the toning were attractive or nonexistent.
PROOF-66: GEM PROOF
PROOF-66:
MARKS: A Proof-66 coin can have light contact lines/hairlines, but nothing detracting
or concentrated in one area. It may have small lint marks or planchet flaws, but any defects must be minor. If a flaw
draws the eye, then the rest of the coin must be superb to compensate for it.
STRIKE: The strike must be
sharp, and will almost always be exceptionally sharp..
LUSTER: The reflectivity will usually be excellent (if
applicable). Any toning must be positive, and reflectivity must be good (if applicable). A Proof-66 coin may have some
extremely positive attributes that offset slightly too much negativity in another area. For instance, Coin X has two or
three too many hairlines to qualify as Proof-66, but the toning is fantastic and the devices heavily frosted and the
eye appeal outstanding, so the coin is graded Proof-66 anyway. Red copper can have mellowing of color, and there can be
unevenness of color for red-brown and brown copper. Very minor spotting may be present. . EYE APPEAL: Overall eye
appeal for this grade is great, since this coin just misses Proof-67. Any deficiency in toning (too dark for Proof-67
because of impeded reflectivity, "splotchy" almost to the point of being negative, etc.) will be slight. If the coin is
brilliant, then the deficiency usually will be minuscule contact/hairline/slide marks that preclude a higher grade.
PROOF-65: GEM PROOF
PROOF-65:
MARKS: There may be several minor
problems. These may include light contact, hairlines, lint marks, planchet flaws, or other minor defects. Since there
may be several minor problems, there are many ways to attain the grade of Proof-65. For example, a coin with virtually
no hairlines may have slight contact/slide marks on the high points and still grade Proof-65. In another case, a coin
with no contact/slide marks might still grade no higher than Proof-65 because of minor but noticeable hairlines. Any
other minor defects, such as lint marks or planchet flaws, should be unobtrusive.
STRIKE: The coin will be
well struck and, in most cases, very sharp.
LUSTER: The reflectivity will be average or above. Any toning present can impede the
reflectivity only slightly. On untoned coins, the reflectivity can be moderately subdued, but coins with "washed-out"
surfaces cannot be graded Proof-65. Red copper can have mellowing of color. Copper coins can have minor spotting.
EYE APPEAL: The eye appeal will be average or above. This is a coin almost everyone finds attractive. The comments
for eye appeal under MS-65 are just as relevant for Proof-65. There is a wide range in the appearance of Proof-65
coins. Any slightly negative factors must be compensated for in another area.
PROOF-64: CHOICE PROOF
PROOF-64:
MARKS: There may be numerous minor problems. These may include contact
marks, many small hairlines, or several large hairlines. Other defects - such as lint marks or planchet flaws in focal
areas - may be allowed.
STRIKE: There can be some weakness in strike. Note: This is the highest Proof grade
where distracting weakness of strike in the major devices is allowable. Weakness in stars and other minor devices is
not usually enough to reduce the grade.
LUSTER: The reflectivity can be impeded. If the coin is toned, the
reflectivity can be noticeably subdued. On untoned coins, there can be dullness or a "washed-out" appearance, but these
coins should have less contact lines/hairlines than a coin with more of the mirror surface intact. Red copper can be
considerably mellowed. There may be noticeable spotting for this grade, though large or numerous spots would reduce the
grade to Proof-63 or lower.
EYE APPEAL: The eye appeal can range from slightly negative to very positive.
This is an attractive coin. However, there can be some negativity in toning (too dark, hazy, splotchy, etc.) - or, with
untoned coins, there can be dullness in the mirrored surface. The amount of hairlines acceptable for this grade is
directly proportional to the eye appeal. If a coin has great contrast (frosted devices), then the hairlines or other
defects can be quite noticeable. On a coin with less contrast and either darkly toned or dull brilliant, the hairlines
must be minor.
PROOF-63: CHOICE PROOF
PROOF-63:
MARKS: There may be immediately
noticeable defects. There may be quite a few contact marks/hairlines or a group of concentrated hairlines, lint marks
in prime focal areas, medium to large planchet flaws, or a combination of these or other defects. Obvious "slide
marks," which usually result from an album's plastic sliding across the devices, will almost always result in a grade
of no higher than Proof-63.
STRIKE: The strike can range from average to full. This is the highest proof
grade where some weakness of strike is allowed. If the coin is poorly struck, a grade of Proof-62 or below would be
appropriate.
LUSTER: The reflectivity can be below average to full. On untoned coins, the surfaces are often
dull - and on toned coins, there can be dark or uneven toning that will seriously impede the amount of reflectivity.
Red copper can be considerably mellowed. There can be noticeable spotting, with several large spots or numerous small
ones. Note: If the mirrored surface is almost totally obscured, then the grade of Proof-63 will NOT be attained and a
grade of Proof-62 or lower is warranted.
EYE APPEAL: The eye appeal can be slightly negative to very
positive. The "average" Proof-63 coin will have neutral eye appeal (noticeable hairlines, well struck, slightly dulled
surfaces). Some coins can still grade Proof-63 even if one or more of the major criteria are negative. That must be
compensated for by strength in another area.
PROOF-62: PROOF
PROOF-62:
MARKS:
There may be some light contact marks, numerous light hairlines, some medium to heavy hairlines, or some combination of
these above covering most of the coin's surface. There also may be concentrated patches of hairlines, but with some
areas remaining relatively free of contact marks/hairlines.
STRIKE: The strike can range from extremely weak to full.
LUSTER: The reflectivity
can range from below average to nearly full. On toned coins, there might be very little of the mirrored surface left,
and with brilliant coins the reflectivity may be almost completely impaired by hairlines.
EYE APPEAL: The eye
appeal will be negative to slightly positive.
PROOF-61: PROOF
PROOF-61:
MARKS: The
surfaces may have some contact marks and numerous light to heavy hairlines. There may be several small marks hidden in
the devices. The entire surface may be covered with contact marks/hairlines, or there may be several areas with
concentrated hairlines and some others relatively free of them.
STRIKE: The strike can range from very weak
to full.
LUSTER: The reflectivity will range from poor to slightly impaired.
EYE APPEAL: The eye appeal will be very negative to very slightly positive.
PROOF-60: PROOF
PROOF-60:
MARKS: The surface may have quite a few contact lines or myriad
medium to heavy hairlines, and may have several marks. There should be no large marks for this grade. If there are
large marks, the grade would be Proof-58 or lower.
STRIKE: The strike can range from very weak to full.
LUSTER: The reflectivity may range from poor to slightly impaired.
EYE APPEAL: The eye appeal can be very negative to neutral.
PROOF-58: CIRCULATED
PROOF
PROOF-58:
WEAR: There usually is very little wear on the high points. With Proof coins,
wear usually takes the form of slight friction in the fields. Since the mirrored surfaces of Proof coins are so
delicate, any minor circulation or mishandling will cause marks and hairlines to become immediately apparent. In some
cases, the reverse may have no impairment and will grade Proof-60 or higher. Note: It is much easier to discern wear on
a Proof than on a business strike. Proofs and proof-like business strikes reveal marks/hairlines much more easily
because of the mirrored surface.
MARKS: There could be a few major marks. There can be scattered contact
marks, with a few allowed on the devices and in the fields. If there are more than a few marks, a Proof coin would be
graded Proof-55 or lower.
STRIKE: The strike can range from average to full. Note: A weak strike would be
downgraded to Proof-55 or lower.
LUSTER: The reflectivity will be somewhat impaired. This is not always true
with Proof-58 coins, since many coins in this grade will have full reflectivity, which is disturbed only by hairlines,
marks, or minor wear.
EYE APPEAL: The eye appeal is usually very good. There usually is nothing other than
slight contact marks/friction on Proof-58 coins. Appearance is usually NOT the problem with this coin.
PROOF-55: CIRCULATED PROOF
PROOF-55:
WEAR: There will be slight wear on the high points, and
up to half the fields will have friction. The reverse will now be impaired in most cases.
MARKS: There may be several marks and quite a few contact marks/hairlines. These should be
scattered about and should not be concentrated on prime focal areas.
STRIKE: The strike will range from
slightly weak to full.
LUSTER: The reflectivity may be severely impaired. Up to 50 percent of the mirrored
surface is now slightly to fairly severely impaired. There can be a few areas that have lost complete reflectivity.
EYE APPEAL: The eye appeal is usually good. The main criteria will be surface preservation, lack of and
placement of marks/hairlines, reflectivity remaining, and originality.
PROOF-53: CIRCULATED PROOF
PROOF-53:
WEAR: There will be obvious wear to the high points. Friction will cover 50 to 75 percent of
the fields.
MARKS: There may be several minor and major marks/hairlines. There can be scattered
marks/hairlines in all areas of the coin, including prime focal areas, though severe disturbance in those prime areas
will result in a lower grade. Some small areas may have heavy concentrations of hairlines.
STRIKE: The strike will range from below average to full.
LUSTER: The reflectivity
may be severely impaired. The amount of "mirror" still visible will depend on the original depth of the mirrored
surface.
EYE APPEAL: The eye appeal now is a function of surface preservation, lack of and placement of
marks/hairlines, reflectivity remaining, and originality.
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