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Grading Coins

From its headquarters in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, American Mint has been providing collectible coins, alongside other memorabilia, to collectors for almost 20 years. Each American Mint product is high in quality. 

To determine the true value of any coin, one should grade it. This involves steps such as assessing the amount of damage and wear and tear it has endured. While it is best to visit a professional for this, one can follow three steps to do it at home. The first one involves locating a strong light source and magnifier. The former could be a 100-watt bulb, while the latter should fall in the 5x to 8x range.

Secondly, one should determine which one of three categories the coin falls into. The categories in question are “Uncirculated,” “About Uncirculated” (for coins that have slight wear but have not reached the public), and “Circulated.” Coins in the last category are the most common.

Finally, one should use the Sheldon coin-grading scale to determine the coin’s value. This information is available in the book, "The Official ANA Grading Standards."