Editing Coin grading (section)

== Systems ==

=== Early grading systems ===
{{More citations needed section|date=December 2023}} 
The quality of all coins is not equal and collectors felt the necessity of defining the quality of the coins in order to assess their value. Rim damage, nicks, polishing, cleaning, scratches and other forms of wear are considered factors in grading a coin. Whether or not a coin shows evidence of having been mounted in jewelry also affects its grade.

In the early years of coin collecting, three general terms were used to grade coins:

* good - when circulation had worn the surface of the coin, but major details were still visible.
* fine - when features were less worn and a bit of mint luster showed on the surface. Most major and minor detail visible
* uncirculated - when the features of the coin were sharp and the luster approaching the state of a new coin at the mint.

=== Sheldon grading system ===
{{Main|Sheldon coin grading scale}}
As the collector market for coins grew rapidly in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it became apparent that a more precise grading standard was needed. Some coins were simply more fine than others, and some uncirculated coins showed more luster and far fewer marks than others. Terms like "gem uncirculated" and "very fine" began to see use, as more precise grading descriptions allowed for more precise pricing for the booming collector market.

In 1948, well-known numismatist [[William Herbert Sheldon]] attempted to standardize coin grading by proposing what is now known as the Sheldon Scale, as is detailed below. {{clarify span|text=Sheldon's 1 to 70 grading scale|explain=Can the article say that such scale is detailed in the below table's left column?|date=January 2019}}, included in his book ''Penny Whimsy'', was originally devised for U.S. large cents but it is now applied to all series.<ref>{{cite book|last=Sheldon|first=William H.|title=Penny Whimsy|publisher=Sanford S. Durst|year=1990|isbn=0-942666-62-3}}</ref>

=== European grading system ===

European countries use various, roughly equivalent, grading systems. The main features of their systems are presented in the following table:

{| class="wikitable" style="float:center"
|+ '''European Grading System'''
! valign="center" | US and Canada
! valign="center" | Design remaining
! valign="center" | [[United Kingdom|United<br />Kingdom]]
! valign="center" | [[France]]
! valign="center" | [[Spain]]
! valign="center" | [[Italy]]
! valign="center" | [[Germany]]
! valign="center" | [[Scandinavia]]
! valign="center" | [[Netherlands]]
! valign="center" | [[Portugal]]
|-
| Good (G-4 or G-6)
| 10%
| G
| AB (Assez Beau)
| RC
| M
| GE (Gut erhalten)
| 2
| G (Goed)
| REG
|-
| Very Good (VG-8 or VG-10)
| 25%
| VG
| B (Beau)
| BC
| B (Bello)
| SGE (Sehr gut erhalten)
| 1-
| ZG (Zeer Goed)
| MREG
|-
| Fine (F-12 or F-15)
| 50%
| F
| TB (Très Beau)
| BC+
| MB (Molto Bello)
| S (Schön)
| 1
| Fr (Fraai)
| BC
|-
| Very Fine (VF-20 to VF-35)
| 75%
| VF
| TTB (Très Très Beau)
| MBC
| BB (Bellissimo)
| SS (Sehr schön)
| 1+
| ZF (Zeer Fraai)
| MBC
|-
| Extremely Fine (XF-40 or XF-45)
| 90%
| EF/XF
| SUP (Superbe)
| MBC+ / EBC-
| SPL (Splendido)
| VZ (Vorzüglich)
| 01
| Pr. (Prachtig)
| MBC+ / Bela-
|-
| About Uncirculated (AU-50 to AU-58)
| 95% + some luster
| UNC
| No use
| EBC / EBC+
| MSPL (MoltoSplendido)
| UNZ&minus; (Fast unzirkuliert)
| 0-01
| No use
| Bela / Bela+
|-
| Mint State (MS-60 to MS-64)
| 100% + luster
| BU
| SPL (Splendide)
| SC
| SPL/FDC
| UNZ (Unzirkuliert)
| 0
| FDC (Fleur de Coin)
| Soberba
|-
| Mint State (MS-65 to MS-70)
| 100% + full luster
| FDC
| FDC (Fleur de Coin)
| FDC
| FDC (Fior di Conio)
| STGL (Stempelglanz)
| 0
| FDC
| FDC (Flor de Cunho)
|-
|}