Coin Grading

Circulated or Uncirculated Coins

Circulated or Uncirculated? Proof or No Proof? Numismatic coins fall into one of two basic categories for quality: circulated and uncirculated. Circulated coins exhibit wear, whereas uncirculated coins do not. Uncirculated coins tend to be more valuable, causing investors and serious collectors to focus their efforts on acquiring the uncirculated alone. Numismatists are trained to […]

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Coin Grading Scales and How are Coins Graded

how are coins graded

Grading Scales Since rare coin quality varies widely, numismatists have adopted several coin-grading methods to assign more specific levels of quality to rare coins. The overwhelmingly popular method to use is the American Numismatic Association (ANA) grading scale. The ANA grading scale divides circulated and uncirculated coins into 24 grades: 13 circulated grades and 11

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Coin Certification Organizations and How They Function

ancient roman coins

Certification Organizations Several independent organizations exist for the sole purpose of grading coins, including the highly reputable Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) or Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC). For a nominal fee, individuals can submit a coin for grading, which will be returned certified, graded and sealed in a tamper-evident plastic container known as a “slab.”

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Little Change in Precious Metals, Bullion Prices Increase

gold bullion price

Precious metals futures ended from flat to nearly unchanged in their start to the new trading week on Tuesday. U.S. markets closed Monday for Presidents Day. Gold for April delivery dipped 20 cents, or less than 0.1%, to settle at $1,238.90 an ounce on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange. “Gold’s resilience

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Fort Moultrie Quarters for South Carolina in Three-Coin Set

The coins commemorate the national monument in South Carolina by featuring a design that is emblematic of the site. 2016 Fort Moultrie Quarters Three-Coin Set (front and back) This latest of the U.S. Mint’s America the Beautiful Quarters Three-Coin Set™ is the fifth and last release this year and the thirty-fifth overall in the series.

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Japanese Proof Set to be Auctioned by Heritage this Week!

heritage auctions

A significant Japanese proof coin collection will be put on the auction block Jan. 8-9 by Heritage Auctions. The sale will occur at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel during the New York International Numismatic Convention. Just a handful of proof coins were produced by the Japan Mint in 1880 for use only in presentation sets, the firm

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Coin Production 2016 – Review

coin production 2016

United States Mint circulating coin output fell to the lowest monthly total of the year 2016 in the month of December. Only 696.8 million coins came off the presses at the Philadelphia and Denver Mints. This weak performance left the circulating coin production total for the entire year at just over 16 billion, a decline

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2017 Proof Set Pricing and Changes in Pricing

us proof set

Proof Set Pricing Last year marked the end of the Presidential $1 Coin Program so this year’s proof, silver proof, and uncirculated proof sets have from 3 to 6 fewer coins. The new price changes include: 2017 Proof Set for $26.95. 2017 Silver Proof Set for $47.95. 2017 Mint Set for $20.95. Compared to last

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Economic and Commodities Rise to Lift All Note Values?

The New Year is here and, as you read this, the Florida United Numismatists show catalogs will be out and we’ll be anticipating the biggest paper money auction of the year. Will it foreshadow a bull market or bear? The stock market has been hitting new highs since the presidential election. This is symptomatic of

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Sheldon Coin Grading Guide

proof coins price guide

Coin Grading Coin grading is the process of determining the grade or condition of a coin, one of the key factors in determining its value. A coin’s grade is generally determined by five criteria: strike, preservation, luster, color, and attractiveness. Several grading systems have been developed. Certification services professionally grade coins for tiered fees. As

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