Difference Between AU And MS-60

Indeed. The AU coin may have no bag marks, no dings, no scratches...but a rub in the high points from circulation. The MS coin can have all sorts of distractions, bag marks etc. but not circulated. In looks, often times, an AU58 coin has way more eye appeal than the MS60/61 coin.

I too have always wondered about that difference. I too wonder how come I never see a AU-59. I think many dealers put that MS-60 grade on a coin to make sell faster since so many people want MS graded coins.

Does it mean that AU58 coins with gpod eye appeal often fetch higher price than MS60 ones?

That's a good example of why - in my opinion - eye appeal plays too great a role in TPG grading. PCGS market-graded this coin. They decided the "look" wasn't worthy of the technical grade, and placed a grade which they thought reflected the coin's street value. NGC had it closer; I could see designating a technical 63 and docking it one grade for the weak reverse strike and color (I don't really mind the color, myself).

But MS-60? I don't think so.

Arvin, there could be no clearer difference between AU and MS-60: One has circulated, the other has not. The devil is in the details of deciding if it's circulated or not.

In the majority of cases, you'd be deciding whether to offer AU58 or MS63-64; truly low MS coins tend to be banged-up enough to make them obvious. It's why you'll see people occasionally offer grades of "AU64" - the coin is really nice but it's just_too_difficult to tell whether it's circulated or not. Circulation tends to first affect all the nicks and hits on such a coin, so a really poor MS coin is readily discernible by the sharpness of those marks.

Technical grade for circulated grades is determined strictly by the circulation wear. Dings nicks strike luster and many other factors influence the eye appeal and market grade, but those do not affect technical grade.

For uncirculated grades the number and position of dings, small scratches, and other handling abrasions are the determining factor for technical uncirculated grade.

As was true with both circulated and uncirculated the strike, luster, toning and other factors determining eye appeal do not influence technical grade.

In some cases, as with Standing Liberty FH, Franklin half FBL, or Mercury dimes FSB, those indications of a strong strike are applied as post numeric assignment.

The important thing to remember is that the only price guide that carry s any real weight is closed auction sales from Heritage, Stacks, Great Collections, and similar auction firms.

Right now I'm high bidder on an AU-58 that is higher priced that a 63 of the same coin.

If you didn't notice the smallest whiff of circulation rub, you would call that 58 a 65. The 63 isn't even close to the eye appeal of the 63.

I have to disagree here, pure technical grading would include strike and luster/surfaces.

Also while most people assume FH, FBL, FB, would be a strong strike indicator not having it doesn't necessarily mean it wasn't well struck. If the detail itself isn't properly engraved it doesn't matter how well struck the coin is it just simply will not be there.