Need Help: Grades / VF - XF

[LJ]

I was curious & looking at the value of coins on the internet and came across this grading scale. I was actually looking at the wheat penny. They had a different value for XF & VF. I guess they are referring to the condition of the coin?? If so, how would a person know this condition or does a professional have to determine this? I have copied what came off of this site below. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

english
PRF = Proof
UNC = Uncirculated
XF = Extremely fine
VF = Very fine
F = Fine
VG = Very good
G = Good
PR = Poor

GOOD G-4 to G-6
VERY GOOD VG-7 to VG-11
FINE F-12 to F-19
VERY FINE VF-20 to VF-39
EXTREMELY FINE EF-40 to EF-49
ABOUT UNCIRCULATED AU-50 to AU-59
UNCIRCULATED MS-60 to MS-62
CHOICE UNCIRCULATED MS-63
SELECT UNCIRCULATED MS-64
GEM UNCIRCULATED MS-65 to MS-66
SUPERB UNCIRCULATED MS-67 to MS-70

 

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[PBK]

Your best bet is to get a good book on coin grading. One of the simplest and easiest to use is Photograde by James F. Ruddy.

Here is a page which shows a Mercury dime in various grades:

http://www.acoin.com/grading.htm

And here is a page of links to excellent photos of Indian Head cents in various grades:

http://www.indiancent.com/grading.htm

 

[damz68]

A couple months back I took a barber dime to a nearby coin shop to see if they could tell me what grade it was. The man that worked there looked at it and told me he thought it was somewhere between XF and AU, but, said that there was services available for grading and he was not capable of doing so. So I guess it requires a professional but any coin shop will tell you what they think for free.

 

[LJ]

Damz - That kinda what I was thinking....a professional. Not that I have some really old coins....yet.....ha. Thanks.

PBK - Thanks for the links....very helpful. I am always at Barnes & Noble so I will for sure pick that book up. Your the champ. Thanks.

 

[Natman]

Lejeuene,

The grading system you mention is standard for U.S. coins, but means something different for each one since their metal composition is different and they wear in different places (every different variety of coin is struck with a different die).

For wheat cents, VF is: "Cheek and jaw bones worn but separated; no worn spots on wheat heads."
XF (or EF) is: "Slight wear, all details sharp".

The source I have used for years is called "A Guide Book of United States Coins" (otherwise known as the "red book"). I also collect coins, so I use this as a reference to give me an idea of a coin's value.

Nat

 

[damz68]

Your best bet is to get a good book on coin grading. One of the simplest and easiest to use is Photograde by James F. Ruddy.

Here is a page which shows a Mercury dime in various grades:

http://www.acoin.com/grading.htm

And here is a page of links to excellent photos of Indian Head cents in various grades:

http://www.indiancent.com/grading.htm

Hey PBK,
I also appreciate the links, very helpful indeed. I did notice something that made little since. I think it was on the Mercury dime link, the person stated that a large cent in basel state was worth about a nickle. I am sorry but a large cent has at least .12 worth of copper in it. It has to be a very nasty coin to not even be worth its weight in the metal used on it. LOL

 

[EDDE]

the official American numismatic association grading standards of united states coins by Kenneth Bressett 6th edition is what i use by it at a local book store

 

[diggummup]

Hey PBK,
I also appreciate the links, very helpful indeed. I did notice something that made little since. I think it was on the Mercury dime link, the person stated that a large cent in basel state was worth about a nickle. I am sorry but a large cent has at least .12 worth of copper in it. It has to be a very nasty coin to not even be worth its weight in the metal used on it. LOL

I could only guess that, the information on that site is probably been up for a couple years.Copper prices only startedrising to the level they are at now this past year or so.JMO-

 

[PBK]

Good point, Damz68!

However, the photo examples are still just as useful. After all, if a Barber dime is in Very Good condition, it doesn't jump up to Very Fine when the price of silver increases!

DK, I agree: Bressett's book is a fine choice, too, although I actually prefer the earlier editions, which featured line drawings rather than photos. Sometimes they're much more helpful. In fact, I also use the old Brown & Dunn book, A Guide to the Grading of United States Coins— the original illustrated grading guide, first published back in the late 1950's— for the same reason.

Dig, I'd say your guess about the age of the site is probably right on target.