|
LakeForestCoins.com/Glossary
|
| |
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.
|
 |
|
