Numistify guide
What Does a Coin’s Grade Mean? MS65, AU50 and the 1–70 Scale
A grade is a short code for a coin’s condition, and it can make a big difference to value. Here is how the 1-to-70 scale works, what the letters mean, and how to read a grading label.
The short answer
Most coin grades use the Sheldon scale from 1 to 70, where 70 is flawless. The letters show the level: MS (Mint State) means no wear, AU (About Uncirculated) means traces of wear on the high points, and proofs use PR or PF instead of MS. An MS65, for example, has no wear and only minor marks.
The 1-to-70 scale
Most coin grades use the Sheldon scale, a 1-to-70 scale that William Sheldon introduced in 1949 for early American large cents. Collectors and the major grading services, PCGS and NGC, now use it for coins of every kind.
The scale splits in two. Grades from 1 to 58 are circulated coins, showing some degree of wear. Grades from 60 to 70 are uncirculated coins, with no wear at all; within that range, the number reflects marks, luster, strike and eye appeal. 70 means flawless.
Grade by grade
| Grade | Name | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| PO-1 | Poor | Barely identifiable as a coin of its type |
| FR-2 | Fair | Extremely worn; outline of the main design visible |
| AG-3 | About Good | Very heavily worn |
| G-4, G-6 | Good | Heavily worn; main design visible, little detail |
| VG-8, VG-10 | Very Good | Well worn; main features clear |
| F-12, F-15 | Fine | Moderate, even wear |
| VF-20 to VF-35 | Very Fine | Light to moderate wear on the high points |
| XF-40, XF-45 | Extremely Fine | Light wear on the highest points only (also written EF) |
| AU-50 to AU-58 | About Uncirculated | Traces of wear on the highest points |
| MS-60 to MS-70 | Mint State | No wear; from many marks (60) to flawless (70) |
The step from AU-58 to MS-60 is one of the most important in the hobby: it is the line between a coin with a trace of wear and one with none, and the price difference across it can be large.
What the letters mean
The letters before the number are an abbreviation of the grade name — VF for Very Fine, XF or EF for Extremely Fine, AU for About Uncirculated. For uncirculated coins they also say how the coin was made: MS (Mint State) is a coin struck for circulation that never circulated, while PR or PF is a proof, struck for collectors.
Proof grades
Proof is not a grade but a method of manufacture: proofs are struck from specially prepared dies and planchets to give mirror-like surfaces. They are graded on the same 1-to-70 scale, with the prefix PR at PCGS or PF at NGC. Because proof surfaces are so reflective, hairlines and handling marks show more easily. Our guide to proof and regular coins explains how to tell them apart.
Plus, Star and Cameo
Plus (+). At PCGS, a plus marks a coin in the top part of its grade for eye appeal; only grades from XF-45 to 68 are eligible. NGC uses a plus for coins at the high end of their grade, approaching the next one.
Star (★). An NGC designation for exceptional eye appeal within the grade.
Cameo. On proofs, Cameo marks a strong contrast between frosted design and mirror fields; the strongest contrast is called Deep Cameo at PCGS and Ultra Cameo at NGC.
Details grades
A coin that is genuine but has a problem — cleaning, a scratch, damage, environmental harm — does not receive a numerical grade. Instead it gets a Details grade, such as “UNC Details — Cleaned”: the label states roughly how worn the coin is and names the problem. Such coins sell for less than problem-free coins of the same wear. Our guide should I clean my coins? explains why cleaning is the most common cause.
Questions people ask
What does MS65 mean on a coin?
MS stands for Mint State: the coin shows no wear from circulation. 65 is its place on the 1-to-70 Sheldon scale, where 60 is a Mint State coin with many marks and 70 is flawless. An MS65 has no wear and only minor marks.
What does AU50 mean?
AU stands for About Uncirculated. AU-50 is the lowest of the AU grades (50, 53, 55 and 58): the coin has traces of wear on the highest points of the design but much of its original surface remains.
What is the highest coin grade?
70, written MS-70 for a coin struck for circulation or PR-70 / PF-70 for a proof. It means a flawless coin, and it is rarely achieved by older coins.
Is proof a grade?
No. Proof is the way a coin was made — from specially prepared dies and planchets for collectors. Proofs are graded on the same 1-to-70 scale, with the prefix PR (PCGS) or PF (NGC) instead of MS.
What does Details mean on a graded coin?
The coin is genuine, but it has a problem — such as cleaning or damage — that prevents a numerical grade. The label gives an approximate grade and names the problem, for example UNC Details — Cleaned.
Related guides
Should I get my coin graded? — whether a coin is worth the fee.
How to send coins for grading — choosing a service and submitting.
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