Dollar Grade
The Art Of Collecting Rare Graded Collectible Coins
Going on adventures and looking for the most valuable treasures in the world has long been a part of every culture since treasures first started to be made. Coins are what a lot of people are after nowadays, some of which may have been in circulation, some may have not. Many deep sea explorations at ship wreck sites have been excavated in search of treasure as well as small trinkets from the past, also known as coins. Rarity and grade are what make these small morsels of currency worth anything more than they already are. The new modern day American treasure is graded collectible coins.
The quality of coins is measured by the grade of each individual coin. The grading system is a 70 point system that has several sub divisions depending on the coin. The rating scale is as follows: 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 20, 40, 50, 58, 60, 63, 65, 68, 69, and last, but most certainly not least, 70. The quality of the coin is ranked higher with the higher numbers.
Inspectors look for any of the following when grading collectible coins: the etching of the word Liberty, luster, eye appeal, mintmark, date, and any identifiable wear. The coins are first inspected by the naked eye, and then are put through further scrutiny when they are examined with microscopes and magnifying glasses.
MS-70 is the grading a perfect coin will receive, these coins embody the following: No microscopic flaws with an 8X optical zoom, original and bright luster, with a perfectly centered stamp. A collectors dream would consist of all of these things on an extremely rare coin.
Buckets make the grading process all the more confusing. Buckets are categories that these coins can be put into, the first bucket is for almost uncirculated coins, and then the next category is for circulated coins, followed by the last category, or bucket for uncirculated coins. A coin can be visibly of a lesser quality than that of other coins, but may receive a higher grade, this is simply due to the bucket that the individual coin may be placed into.
Coins are not always in perfect condition if they are worth hefty sums. The rarity is a key factor in the amount that the coin is worth. The Liberty Head Nickel may be in horrible condition, but it can warrant upwards of a million dollars due to the fact that there are only five known to be in existence. Another rare type of coin is called a mule. A coin that has mismatched stamps on either the front or the back are called mules. For example a quarter with the backing of a dime would be considered a mule.
Taking this into consideration, the PCGS MS-66 Red is an example of a mule. This mule features the normal penny with the face of Abraham Lincoln on the front, but surprisingly on the back side there is the stamp of an everyday dime. Coins that come out like this are likely due to changes going on at the specific mint that it came from. Some mints are asked to produce more of one type of coin, often causing mix ups.
The newest and perhaps one of the smallest treasures to hunt for are graded collectible coins. This tiny trinket from the past may be worth hefty sums of money due to their rarity and grade. Go out and look for these tiny pieces of stamped copper, silver and nickel; you may be surprised at what you find.
About the Author
If you take part in the hobby of coin collecting, acquiring graded collectible coins is a goal that is reachable. Stephen Huston has more information about coins and gold and silver on his blog at Stephen Huston.com
AAYN Episode 9: Ultra Low Grade Morgan Silver Dollars
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