The USA uses a 70 point grading scale, affectionately known as the Sheldon coin grading scale. Both of the big players in certified coins (PCGS and NGC -- which stands for
Numismatic Guaranty Corporation, not "National") use the American Numismatic Association (
ANA) grading standards behind the scenes. This system has been for many years (certified coin graders have been around for almost 30 years) based primarily around the grading, attribution, and encapsulation of USA coins.
While my primary collection is of USA coins, I happen to also collect Conder Tokens from the 1790s. Most good examples of these come from dealers in the UK, and the grading system is simply different (not better or worse, but simply different). I have also purchased several coins from ma-shops.com which uses more of a European grading standard (letter combinations, together with "+" and "-" designations, but with less granularity than the USA 70-point system).
So, in summary, you can't compare a Sheldon-type grade to one of the European-type grades. They are simply different. The point is that you must be educated about these differences. It is not a matter of NGC calling world coins that are "AU" in your grading system suddenly "MS63" in the USA grading system. If there is no sign of wear, and the coin meets the
ANA standards for luster, strike, etc. then it will get an MS grade in NGC's holder. Simple as that. I don't think of it as "one is right, and one must then be wrong" but rather as two different systems. As is the case with most things, the one you are most comfortable with is the one that seems more right to you.
Posted 04/08/2012 4:01 pm
