In this chapter, you will learn how to apply the grading techniques for Morgan silver dollars, to other series of coins. For each major United States type, including commemoratives, this chapter includes a pair of photographs, one of an obverse and one of a reverse, both as well struck as possible. You should consider any coin you encounter that is as well struck as the illustrated example to rate a 5 on the strike scale. For now, you will have to use your best judgment to grade the strike of less well struck examples. If the type is commonly available as a proof, I have also included photographs of proof obverse and reverse, again as well struck as possible. If you have any doubt as to whether a coin is a business strike or a proof, compare it to the photographs. In most cases, the differences should be clear. Then you will find another set of obverse and reverse photographs, this time with the high points of the design accented in red. This will help you determine whether the coin is fully mint state or not. Simply reread the chapter entitled "The Grading Process: Mint State or Almost Uncirculated?" if you are still unsure. There is a final set of obverse and reverse photographs which illustrate the places on the coin where bagmarks, hairlines and other surface impairments are considered most and least detracting. To refresh your memory, you may wish to reread the chapter entitled "Surface Preservation." The color code is as follows: RED = Worst (Average x 4) ORANGE = Bad (Average x 2) YELLOW = Average GREEN = Better (Average x 1/2) BLUE = Best (Average x 1/4) NOTE: These quantifications are approximate. Keep in mind that an important factor to weigh is how well hidden (or obvious) the surface impairment is. Lustre and eye-appeal are graded the same way for most series as they are for Morgan dollars. Most exceptions apply to all of the issues of each particular metal (copper, copper-nickel, nickel or gold), and will be noted. Copper Coins The most important difference when grading copper coins is that spotting is taken into account as part of the "surface preservation" grade as well as the "eye-appeal" grade. When nickel, silver and gold coins acquire toning (and even spotting in some cases), that toning can often be removed with no ill effects. This is rarely the case with copper coins. Hence, most collectors will highly value a copper coin that has its full original red copper color. Example of Brown Uncirculated Example of Red & Brown Uncirculated Example of Red Uncirculated Draped Bust Half Cent - Business Strike Classic Half Cent - Business Strike Classic Half Cent - Proof Braided Hair Half Cent - Business Strike Braided Hair Half Cent - Proof Draped Bust Large Cent - Business Strike Classic Large Cent - Business Strike Coronet Large Cent - Business Strike Braided Hair Large Cent - Business Strike Braided Hair Large Cent - Proof Flying Eagle Cent - Business Strike Flying Eagle Cent - Proof Indian Head Cent - Business Strike Indian Head Cent - Proof Lincoln Cent - Business Strike Lincoln Cent - Matte Proof Two Cent Piece - Business Strike Two Cent Piece - Proof High Points of Design Draped Bust Half Cent Classic Half Cent Braided Hair Half Cent Coronet Large Cent Indian Head Cent Lincoln Cent Visual Impairment Severity Levels Classic Half Cent Flying Eagle Cent Indian Head Cent Lincoln Cent Nickel Coins The only major difference between nickel coins and other coins is that spots are slightly more detracting on nickel than on silver or gold but less detracting than they are on copper coins. This is because spots on nickel are harder to remove than they are from silver or gold. (NOTE: Copper-nickel coins such as Flying Eagle cents are graded approximately halfway in-between the way copper and nickel coins are each graded.) Three Cents (Nickel) - Business Strike Three Cents (Nickel) - Proof Shield Nickel - Business Strike Shield Nickel - Proof Liberty Nickel - Business Strike Liberty Nickel - Proof Buffalo Nickel (Type One) - Business Strike Buffalo Nickel (Type Two) - Business Strike Buffalo Nickel - Matte Proof Buffalo Nickel - Brilliant Proof Jefferson Nickel - Business Strike Jefferson Nickel - Proof High Points of Design Three Cents (Nickel) Liberty Nickel Buffalo Nickel Jefferson Nickel Visual Impairment Severity Levels Three Cents (Nickel) Shield Nickel Buffalo Nickel Silver Coins For all practical purposes, you have already learned to grade silver coins. Apply what you have learned about grading Morgan silver dollars to the other silver types illustrated below. The market currently places great emphasis on certain striking characteristics of some series. For example, tremendous premiums are paid for Mercury Dimes with Full Bands and Standing Liberty Quarters with Full Head. I have included close-up photographs of normal strikes, full bands or full head of the minimum acceptable sharpness and 100% fully struck bands or full head. Mercury Dime - Non-Full Bands Mercury Dime - Barely-Full Split Bands Mercury Dime - 100% Fully Struck Standing Liberty Quarter - Non-Full Head Standing Liberty Quarter - Barely-Full Head Standing Liberty Quarter - 100% Fully Struck Three Cents (Silver) T.1 - Business Strike Three Cents (Silver) T.2 - Business Strike Three Cents (Silver) T.2 - Proof Three Cents (Silver) T.3 - Business Strike Three Cents (Silver) T.3 - Proof Capped Bust Half Dime - Business Strike Liberty Seated Half Dime - No Stars - B.S. Liberty Seated Half Dime - No Drapery - B.S. Liberty Seated Half Dime - Stars - B.S. Liberty Seated Half Dime - Stars - Proof Liberty Seated Half Dime - Legend - B.S. Liberty Seated Half Dime - Legend - Proof Draped Bust Dime - Business Strike Capped Bust Dime - Large - Business Strike Capped Bust Dime - Small - Business Strike Liberty Seated Dime - No Drapery - B.S. Liberty Seated Dime - No Drapery - Proof Liberty Seated Dime - Stars - B.S. Liberty Seated Dime - Legend - B.S. Liberty Seated Dime - Legend - Proof Barber Dime - Business Strike Barber Dime - Proof Mercury Dime - Business Strike Mercury Dime - Proof Roosevelt Dime - Business Strike Roosevelt Dime - Proof Twenty Cent Piece - Business Strike Twenty Cent Piece - Proof Draped Bust Quarter - Business Strike Capped Bust Quarter - Large - B.S. Capped Bust Quarter - Small - B.S. Capped Bust Quarter - Small - Proof Liberty Seated Quarter - No Motto - B.S. Liberty Seated Quarter - No Motto - Proof Liberty Seated Quarter - Arrows/Rays - B.S. Liberty Seated Quarter - Arrows - B.S. Liberty Seated Quarter - Motto - B.S. Liberty Seated Quarter - Motto - Proof Barber Quarter - Business Strike Barber Quarter - Proof Liberty Standing Quarter - T.1 - B.S. Liberty Standing Quarter - T.2 - B.S. Washington Quarter - Business Strike Washington Quarter - Proof Draped Bust Half - Small Eagle - B.S. Draped Bust Half - Heraldic Eagle - B.S. Capped Bust Half - Early - B.S. Capped Bust Half - Business Strike Capped Bust Half - Reeded Edge - B.S. Liberty Seated Half - No Motto - B.S. Liberty Seated Half - No Motto - Proof Liberty Seated Half - Arrows/Rays - B.S. Liberty Seated Half - Motto - B.S. Liberty Seated Half - Motto - Proof Barber Half - Business Strike Barber Half - Proof Walking Liberty Half - Business Strike Walking Liberty Half - Proof Franklin Half - Business Strike Franklin Half - Proof Flowing Hair Dollar - Business Strike Draped Bust Dollar - Small Eagle - B.S. Draped Bust Dollar - Heraldic Eagle - B.S. Liberty Seated Dollar - Gobrecht - Proof Liberty Seated Dollar - No Motto - B.S. Liberty Seated Dollar - No Motto - Proof Liberty Seated Dollar - Motto - B.S. Liberty Seated Dollar - Motto - Proof Trade Dollar - Business Strike Trade Dollar - Proof Morgan Dollar - Business Strike Morgan Dollar - Proof Peace Dollar - High Relief - B.S. Peace Dollar - Business Strike Eisenhower Dollar - Proof High Points of Design Three Cent Silver - Type One Three Cent Silver - Type Three Bust Half Dime Liberty Seated Dime Barber Dime Mercury Dime Capped Bust Quarter Liberty Seated Quarter Barber Quarter Standing Liberty Quarter Washington Quarter Capped Bust Half Dollar Liberty Seated Half Dollar Walking Liberty Half Dollar Draped Bust Dollar Liberty Seated Dollar Trade Dollar Peace Dollar Visual Impairment Severity Levels Three Cents Silver - Type Three Capped Bust Dime Liberty Seated Dime Mercury Dime Twenty Cent Piece Capped Bust Quarter Standing Liberty Quarter Washington Quarter Barber Half Walking Liberty Half Franklin Half Trade Dollar Morgan Dollar Peace Dollar High points of Design - Silver Commemoratives Isabella Quarter Lafayette Dollar Alabama Centennial Albany Antietam Arkansas Centennial Bay Bridge Boone Bridgeport California Jubilee Cincinnati Cleveland Columbia South Carolina Columbian exposition Connecticut Delaware Tercentary Elgin Gettysburg Grant Hawaiian Hudson Huguenot - Walloon Iowa Lexington - Concord Illinios Centenial Lincoln Long Island Lynchburg Main Maryland Missouri Monroe Doctrine New Rochelle Norfolk Oregon Trail Panama - Pacific Pilgrim Rhode Island Roanoake Robinson - Arkansas San Diego Sesquicentinial Spanish Trail Stone Mountain Texas Centennial Fort Vancouver Vermont Booker T. Washington Washington Carver Wisconsin York County Gold Coins Gold seldom holds a fingerprint. Spotting on gold coins is often removable and usually detracts little from the grade even when it's not removable. Sometimes gold coins acquire a beautiful orange-red hue. This coloring is considered by most numismatists to be the most desirable type of toning on gold coins. Attractive, well balanced orange-red toning on gold coins generally merits a 5 on the eye-appeal scale. One Dollar Gold, Type One, Business Strike One Dollar Gold, Type Two, Business Strike One Dollar Gold, type Three, Business Strike One Dollar Gold, type Three, Proof Classic Quarter Eagle, Business Strike Liberty Quarter Eagle, Business Strike Liberty Quarter Eagle, Proof Indian Quarter Eagle, Business Strike Indian Quarter Eagle, Proof Three Dollar Gold, Business Strike Three Dollar Gold, Proof Four Dollar Gold, Stella, Proof Capped Bust Right, Half Eagle, Business Strike Capped Draped Bust, Half Eagle, Business Strike Capped Head Left, Half Eagle, Business Strike Classic Half Eagle, Business Strike Liberty Half Eagle, No Motto, Business Strike Liberty Half Eagle, Motto, Business Strike Liberty Half Eagle, Motto, Proof Indian Half Eagle, Business Strike Indian Half Eagle, Proof Capped Bust Eagle, Business Strike Liberty Eagle, Business Strike Liberty Eagle, Proof Indian Eagle, Wire Edge, Business Strike Indian Eagle, No Motto, Business Strike Indian Eagle, Motto, Business Strike Indian Eagle, Motto, Proof Liberty Double Eagle, No Motto, Business Strike Liberty Double Eagle, Twenty D, Business Strike Liberty Double Eagle, Business Strike Liberty Double Eagle, Proof St. Gaudens Double Eagle, High Relief, Business Strike St. Gaudens Double Eagle, No Motto, Business Strike St. Gaudens Double Eagle, With Motto, Business Strike St. Gaudens Double Eagle, With Motto, Proof High points of Design - Gold One Dollar Gold, Type One One Dollar Gold, Type Two One Dollar Gold, Type Three Classic Head, Quarter Eagle Liberty, Quarter Eagle Indian Head, Quarter Eagle Three Dollar Gold Liberty Eagle Indian Eagle Liberty Double Eagle St. Gaudens Double Eagle, (High Relief) Visual Impairment Security Levels - Gold One Dollar Gold, Type One Indian Quarter, Eagle Liberty Half, Eagle Indian Half, Eagle Liberty, Double Eagle Saint Gaudens, Double Eagle High points of Design - Gold Commemoratives Grant Lewis and Clark Louisiana Purchase Jefferson Louisiana Purchase Mckinley Mckinley Memorial Panama - Pacific Exposition Panama - Pacific Quarter Eagle Sesquicentennial Quarter Eagle Please Visit Our Sponsor: Search Heritage's Inventory: By Keyword/Lot No. Copyright © CoinGrading.com Dallas, Texas USA All Rights Reserved e-mail: [email protected]