What is coin grading?
Coin grading describes how well a coin has been preserved. Graders look at wear on the highest points of the design, contact marks, scratches, lustre and the overall eye appeal of the coin.
In Europe, collectors often use descriptive grades such as Fine, Very Fine, Extremely Fine and Uncirculated. Professional grading services usually use the numerical Sheldon scale, which runs from 1 for a barely recognisable coin to 70 for a flawless one.
Professionally graded coins are often sealed in a plastic holder, called a slab, together with a label that shows the grade. For most circulation euro coins, professional grading is not worth the cost, but it can be useful for rare or valuable pieces.
Grading is partly subjective. Two collectors, or even two grading services, can come to a slightly different grade for the same coin.
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Frequently asked questions
Short answers to the most common questions about Coin grading.
For most euro coins, no. Grading costs money and mainly makes sense for rare coins, valuable errors or coins you plan to sell.
On the Sheldon scale, the highest grade is 70, which means the coin shows no visible flaws under magnification.