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COIN AND STAMP GRADING SYSTEMS
All
my coins and stamps are graded using a standard & recognized system which is
outlined below. If you have any questions about a coin or stamp that I am
auctioning off please email me well before the end of the auction. I can
provide you with additional information and/or pictures if that is what
you require, otherwise:
!! ALL
ITEMS are SOLD AS IS !!
So please bid accordingly.
COIN GRADING SYSTEM
American Numismatic
Association Official Grading Standards
Mint State-65 --
Attractive, shiny mint luster makes this coin. There
are no large detracting contact marks or
damage spots, and absolutely no trace of wear. This would be
a near perfect coin.
Mint
State-60 (BU) --
A beautiful coin but unattractive, dull or washed out
mint luster may mark this coin. There may be contact marks or damage
spots caused during the minting process, but absolutely no trace of
wear. There could be hairlines, or unattractive areas of scuff
marks. Rim nicks may be present, and eye appeal may be poor. Copper
coins may be dark, dull and spotted.
About
Uncirculated-58 --
Very Choice. The barest trace of wear may be seen on
one or more of the high points of the design. No major detracting
contact marks will be present and the coin will have attractive eye
appeal and nearly full luster, often with the appearance of a higher
grade.
About
Uncirculated-55 --
Choice. Only small traces of wear are visible on the
highest points of the coin.
About
Uncirculated-50 --
With traces of wear on nearly all of the highest
areas. At least half of the original mint luster is present.
Extremely
Fine-45 --
Choice. With light overall wear on the coin’s highest
points. All details are very sharp. Mint luster is usually seen only
in protected areas of the coin’s surface such as between the star
point and the letter spaces.
Extremely
Fine-40 --
With only slight wear but more extensive than the
preceding, still with excellent overall sharpness. Traces of mint
luster may still show.
Very
Fine-30 --
Choice. With light even wear on the surface; design
details on the highest points lightly worn, but with all lettering
and major designs sharp.
Very
Fine-20 --
As the preceding but with moderate wear on the higher
parts.
Fine-12 --
Moderate to considerable even wear. Entire design is
bold. All lettering visible, but with some weakness.
Very
Good-8 --
Well worn. Major designs visible, but with faintness
in areas. Major features visible in outline form without center
detail.
Good-4 --
Heavily worn. Major designs visible, but with
faintness in areas. Major features visible in outline form without
center detail.
About
Good-3 --
Very
heavily worn with portions of the lettering, date, and legends being
worn smooth. The date is barely readable.
STAMP GRADING SYSTEM
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Gum
Condition
Gum is an important factor in determining a
stamps value. Here are some common terms,
including those used above:
MNH - Mint or Mint
Never Hinged -
Mint means the stamp is in new condition,
as it was when it was purchased from the Post Office. Many times you
will see stamps listed as "Mint NH" or "MNH",
this is a misuse of terminology as it is redundant. By saying mint,
you are already saying NH as that is the condition it was in when it
was purchased by the post office.
NH - Never hinged -
The stamp has never had a hinge
applied to it. NH has an expanded meaning though, the gum must be in
like new condition with no marks of any kind whether made by a hinge
or not.
H - Hinged - The gum has had a
hinge applied to it.
LH - Lightly hinged -
The gum
has had a hinge applied, but the mark left is unusually small or
light.
HH - Heavily hinged -
The gum
has been hinged and the mark left is large or very prominent.
HR - Hinge Remnant -
The gum has
had a hinge applied to it and upon removal a piece of the hinge
would not remove easily and is left attached to the stamp.
DG - Disturbed gum - The gum has
been damaged in some way other than hinging. This can include
fingerprints, glazing, bubbling or anything else that affects the
gum.
NG - No gum -
The stamp is
unused and has no gum.
RG - Re-gummed -
The stamp's
original gum was lost so new gum was added to the stamp. The reason
for this is because the price for NH stamps is higher, often
significantly higher than for identical stamps that are hinged or
NG. A dishonest collector or dealer can add new gum and then try and
sell the stamp as NH. There is nothing wrong with buying or selling
a re-gummed stamp as long as both parties know that the stamp is
re-gummed, generally they will sell at or slightly above the price
of a NG stamp.
Gum skip -
When the gum was applied it was not spread completely over the
stamp and it left a portion of the stamp without gum. |
Centering
Besides catalogue value, this is the most
important factor in judging a stamp's value to most people.
Centering is how well the design of the stamp is centered within the
perforations or edge of the stamp. Here
are some common terms, including those used above:
S - Superb
- The design is very perfectly centered within the perforations. Highest
value, with some stamps selling at many times the catalogue value.
XF - Extremely Fine - The stamp
design is just towards one of the edges but still very nicely
centered, almost perfect. High
value, with some stamps selling well above the catalogue value.
VF - Very fine - The stamp
design is further off from center, but still well away from the edge
and very attractive. High
value, with some stamps selling above the catalogue value.
F-VF - Fine to very fine - The
stamp design is closer to the edge, but still well away. This is the
most widely collected centering, good enough to be attractive, but
not sky high in price. This is usually the
stated catalogue value in Scotts and other catalogues.
F - Fine - The determination
of fine is that the design can be very close to the edge, but it
cannot be cut by the perforations.
AVG - Average -
If the design is cut into by the perforations then the stamp is
average.
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