Grading Circulated And Uncirculated State Quarters

funnierthanme
NPcoin .. posted some good information.

I should have been more clear. Let me try.
The Photograde book is a good book to start for basic coin grading, but yes it's
focus is on uncirculated coins. I have not seen any books on how to grade
UNC State Quarters.


Let me say how I try and get the best quality State Quarters.
When I break a roll, my first sort is to find all the coins
that I don't think will grade very high. These include coins
with poor strikes, multiple nicks/scratches and grease on die.
Sometimes I will not find a single coin I like. But most times
I will get five to ten coins that will need a second look.
The coins that I throw out on the first pass .. go to the bank.

The second pass, I try to find the coins that have least amount of
problems. Depending on which state I am working, can help me decide
which coins to keep. In my opinion, some states and mints seems to have
a lot of good quality coins and some are mostly bad quality.

At this point I might compare the better coins to the slabbed coins
I have purchased. I have bought several MS 65, MS 66 and MS 67 coins
from ebay. If you watch you can find them from $5 to $12, of course
I have not seen the higher valued states at these prices.

It takes a lot of experience to learn how to grade a higher grade
coin. I am still learning. I think if you can find coins that have
little or no hits, you are getting into the MS 66 to MS 67 coins.

To get to MS 68+ coins, you need good strike and good eye appeal.
Coins in this grade are ones that you have to look very hard to
find a problem with the coin.

To make money on State Quarters, will be a very hard thing to do,
unless a person is willing to search a lot of coins, for the best
quarters, and wait a long time for them to become harder to find.
Of course if you did find high value coins like the ones I posted earlier, that
look almost perfect, I think they could be slabbed and sold for a profit.

All this is just my opinion.

I am still a relatively new collector but I agree wholeheartedly with GR58's approach and comment.

The reason I think there is little or no books or websites devoted to grading State Quarters is two a) In numismatics these are still a young series and b) When the reverse changes for each State commemorated or for any coin that has ever changing reverses it is very difficult to set grading guidelines for the reverse. However, study of coins with static obverses and reverses which are covered quite well is helpful. I still prefer looking at the 1977 ANA Grading Guide as it depends on drawings rather than photos. This is immensely helpful in getting the basics of what to look for when grading a coin.

So first I think GR58's method is perfect. I get rolls of American Innovation Dollars mainly and I have three plastic trays lined with soft paper towels. One tray is for banged up coins - real MS60's, the second is for those not as bad but nothing outstanding and the third is where I find something that stands out. The hardest part once you have the lowest grade coins gone is comparing the rest. I find it can take a few hours to find something in MS65 - 66+ from a roll. Usually the best I have gotten from a roll is MS66+ if you just buy one or two rolls. Also Philly Mint tends to have poorer quality coins than Denver and San Fran Uncirculated (which are only produced fro America the Beautiful Quarters) does the nicest strike although the number of bag marks and scratches is about equal to Denver.

Now grading State Quarters and coins with ever-changing reverses. Well first you look at the obverse as that tends to have sensitive high points and open fields as a portrait of somebody or human embodiment of an ideal is present on most US coinage. For State Quarters you have the luxury of referring to books and Photograding of Washington quarters obverses. For other coins such as American Innovation Dollars, the Liberty holding a torch in the air has a wide open field that helps with grading - the clearer the open field is of scratches, nicks and bag marks the higher the grade. And of course look for a cartwheel luster.
For all commemorative coins the obverse should be clear of nicks and scratches on sensitive high points of the portrait of a person or person embodying an ideal. The Presidential dollars share similar challenges as the Washington quarter obverse but as it is ever changing only more so but often it is similar areas at risk for nicks - checks, forehead, neck.

Now grading changing reverses may be tougher but ask yourself these questions: How much open space does the design have? Are many elements protected by being recessed or having an uneven texture (think about the depiction of Mountains and Islands and all the crevices you have) or their location on the coin (the more they are surrounding by other elements and in the center the more likely they will be the last to wear) What are the highpoints of the design that you are drawn too? If these points show any nicks - albeit small - it can knock down the grade significantly as it detracts from the beauty of the coin.

I would say one of the toughest business strike State Quarters to find in circulation in MS grade or high MS is the Hawaii State Quarter --- the reverse with the islands of Hawaii in an ocean with the 1843 King of Hawaii to the left provides open areas for nicks and bag marks to form during rolling or bagging. As the King is towards the edge the figure and parts of it risk flattening from people touching the surfaces near the edge. The New Hampshire is interesting as you can miss nicks on the details of the Man in The Mountain because of all the bumps but those bumps are some of the high points of the coin so you should double check for nicks.

I have been learning this with American Innovation Dollars as they pose similar challenges as the State Quarters but more so as they obverse is not a traditional one and has this large open field that is often victim to small hairlines or nicks at minimum. Very hard to find one that is near perfect.

And one final thing - although State Quarters are not edge lettered do check the edge anyway. For one, who knows you may luck into a very impaired silver proof (lucky you!) but it is more to see if the reed is sharp and the color has some of that nice orange copper with the nice white of nickel still there. A nice edge with fresh color and little or no nicks boosts the grade of a coin.

I hope my observations help. Enjoy!

Welcome to the group!

These are great questions, funnierthanme, and I am certain that there's a lot more to know than I do after 50+ years of collecting! There are lots of nice, smart people here.

As for grading rolls, the only instance I have seen for grading rolls is with ANACS grading cents. I just bought a couple of Lincoln rolls that give an ANACs rating for the rolls at all coins "MS65 Red or higher." Apparently ANACs went through the roll and rewrapped in polysomething. No idea now much that cost someone else, but it works for me...

Stay well,
Diy89Nurm7