US Coin Grading Reference

What is coin grading?

Coin grading assesses the condition and eye appeal of a coin—key drivers of value. The U.S. market standard is the Sheldon 70‑point scale, where 1 is the lowest (barely identifiable) and 70 is perfect as struck. Grades group into four buckets: Circulated, About Uncirculated (AU), Mint State (MS), and Proof (PF).

1–59: Circulated60–70: Mint StatePF: Proof strikes (collector issues)

Sheldon Scale – Detailed Grades

Code

Grade

Range

Bucket

Notes

P-1
Poor
1
Circulated
Barely identifiable; heavy wear; may be bent/corroded.
FR-2
Fair
2
Circulated
Identifiable type/date with effort; rims mostly gone.
AG-3
About Good
3
Circulated
Very worn; rims merge with lettering but type/date visible.
G-4
Good
4
Circulated
Heavily worn; major details outlined; rims full.
G-6
Good
6
Circulated
Similar to G-4 with slightly stronger detail.
VG-8
Very Good
8
Circulated
Design worn flat but clear; more central detail visible.
VG-10
Very Good
10
Circulated
Better than VG-8; legends fully readable.
F-12
Fine
12
Circulated
Moderate wear; major details present with some flatness.
F-15
Fine
15
Circulated
Slightly stronger than F-12; more hair/feather detail.
VF-20
Very Fine
20
Circulated
Moderate wear; most details sharp; all lettering clear.
VF-25
Very Fine
25
Circulated
Slightly stronger than VF-20.
VF-30
Very Fine
30
Circulated
Crisper details; light wear in high points.
VF-35
Very Fine
35
Circulated
Nearly EF; just a bit more wear than XF-40.
XF-40
Extremely Fine
40
Circulated
Light wear on high points; most details sharp.
XF-45
Extremely Fine
45
Circulated
Stronger luster traces; minimal high-point wear.
AU-50
About Uncirculated
50
About Uncirculated
Traces of wear on highest points; partial luster.
AU-53
About Uncirculated
53
About Uncirculated
Slightly better luster and strike than AU-50.
AU-55
About Uncirculated
55
About Uncirculated
Nearly full luster; very light rub on high points.
AU-58
About Uncirculated
58
About Uncirculated
Looks mint state at first glance; just the faintest friction.
MS-60
Uncirculated
60
Mint State
No wear; many marks; dull luster possible.
MS-61
Uncirculated
61
Mint State
Slightly better than MS-60; still numerous marks.
MS-62
Uncirculated
62
Mint State
Average luster; noticeable contact marks.
MS-63
Choice Uncirculated
63
Mint State
Average luster; moderate marks; attractive overall.
MS-64
Choice Uncirculated
64
Mint State
Better luster/eye appeal; fewer marks.
MS-65
Gem Uncirculated
65
Mint State
Strong luster; few distracting marks; very attractive.
MS-66
Gem Uncirculated
66
Mint State
Sharper strike; minimal marks; premium eye appeal.
MS-67
Superb Gem
67
Mint State
Outstanding luster and strike; tiny imperfections.
MS-68
Superb Gem
68
Mint State
Nearly perfect; virtually no noticeable flaws.
MS-69
Superb Gem
69
Mint State
As-struck perfection to the eye; only microscopic issues under 5×.
MS-70
Perfect
70
Mint State
Flawless as struck; no post-production imperfections at 5×.
PF-60 – PF-70
Proof (mirror fields)
60–70
Proof
Specially struck for collectors; graded on the same 70‑point scale.

Special Designations

CAM / DCAM (Ultra Cameo)

Frosted devices with mirrored fields (proofs).

Full Bands on Mercury dimes (split bands on fasces).

Full Steps on Jefferson nickels (Monticello steps fully defined).

Full Head on Standing Liberty quarters (complete helmet details).

RD / RB / BN

Copper color designations: Red, Red‑Brown, Brown.

Quick Tips

Wear vs. Marks: Mint State coins can have marks from handling at the mint but show no circulation wear.
AU vs. MS: AU‑58 often looks MS—check high points for the lightest friction.
Proof ≠ Grade: Proof is a strike type; a proof can be PF‑63 or PF‑70, etc.
Magnification: Many services reference ~5× when judging MS‑70 perfection.
Eye appeal matters: Luster, toning, and strike quality influence value within the same numerical grade.

Educational reference for U.S. coin grading. Suitable for inclusion in a coin‑collection app or knowledge base.