Numistify guide
Should I Get My Coin Professionally Graded?
Grading costs real money, and on many coins it never pays back. On the right coins it can make them easier to sell for more. Here is how to tell which kind you have.
The short answer
Usually only if the coin is worth several times the full cost of grading — many collectors use five times as a rule of thumb — if its grade is uncertain at a point that changes its value, if its authenticity is in doubt, or if you plan to sell it. For common circulated coins and bullion, grading usually costs more than it adds.
Start with the full cost
The grading fee is only part of it. Add any membership needed to submit, shipping both ways, insurance and, for some coins, extra fees for attributing a variety. All told, sending a coin rarely costs less than several tens of dollars. Grading services publish their current prices by service level and coin value; check them before you decide. Our guide to sending coins for grading covers the services and how submission works.
A rule of thumb
Many collectors grade a coin only if it is worth at least five times the total cost of grading it. It is a starting point, not a law: some coins below it are still worth grading for authenticity, and some above it are not worth the trouble.
As an example with round numbers: if sending one coin costs $50 in all, the rule suggests grading coins worth roughly $250 or more.
When grading usually pays
The coin is valuable enough that the cost is small next to it.
The grade is uncertain at a point that matters, such as the line between AU-58 and MS-60, where one step can change the value a lot. Our guide to coin grades explains the scale.
Authenticity is in doubt. Key dates and gold are widely counterfeited, and certification settles it.
You plan to sell. Certified coins are easier to sell to more buyers, who do not have to rely on your description.
When it usually does not
Common circulated coins, worth less than the cost of grading them.
Bullion valued for its metal, where the price follows the metal, not the grade.
Cleaned or damaged coins, which receive a Details grade instead of a numerical one, and seldom gain enough from it.
Coins you will keep and whose grade you already know.
Deciding, step by step
1. Identify the coin exactly — date, mint mark, variety.
2. Estimate its grade honestly, comparing it with photographs of graded examples.
3. Find its value raw and graded, in the Red Book or a catalogue, auction records and eBay sold listings.
4. Add up the full cost of grading at the service level its value requires.
5. Compare. If the graded value minus the cost clearly beats the raw value, or you need authentication, grade it.
Alternatives to grading
Show the coin to your local coin shop for an opinion first. Many dealers submit coins for customers and can tell you whether a coin is a candidate. For coins you are simply keeping, good storage and a record of what you have may be all you need.
Questions people ask
Is it worth getting my coin graded?
Usually only if the coin is worth several times the full cost of grading, if its grade is uncertain at a point that changes its value, if its authenticity is in doubt, or if you plan to sell it. For common circulated coins and bullion, grading usually costs more than it adds.
How much does it cost to grade a coin?
The full cost includes the grading fee, any membership, shipping both ways and insurance, and often adds up to several tens of dollars per coin. Fees change and depend on the coin’s value and the service level, so check the grading service’s current price list.
What is a good rule of thumb for grading?
Many collectors only grade a coin worth at least five times the total cost of grading it. It is a starting point, not a law.
Should I grade coins I am not planning to sell?
Usually only if you want authentication for a valuable coin, or certainty about its grade. For coins you will keep and already understand, grading adds little.
Can I find out a coin's value before paying for grading?
Yes. Research it in the Red Book or a world coin catalogue, compare auction records and eBay sold listings for raw and graded examples, and ask your local coin shop whether it is a candidate.
Related guides
What is my coin worth? — researching the value first.
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