World coins, collector inventory, and coin references for Houston and Northwest Houston.
This page gives collectors a quick on-site grading reference using the standard Sheldon 1-70 scale and the core PCGS abbreviations most often seen on certified coin holders and listings.
View official live PCGS grading standards
| Numeric Grade | Short Label | Typical meaning |
|---|---|---|
| PO-1 | Poor | Extremely worn and barely identifiable. |
| FR-2 | Fair | Very heavy wear, but slightly more detail than PO-1. |
| AG-3 | About Good | Outline is visible, but lettering and design are heavily worn. |
| G-4 to G-6 | Good | Main design remains visible with strong circulation wear. |
| VG-8 to VG-10 | Very Good | More central detail is visible though the coin is plainly circulated. |
| F-12 to F-15 | Fine | Moderate even wear with stronger remaining detail. |
| VF-20 to VF-35 | Very Fine | Moderate wear on the high points with most details still clear. |
| EF/XF-40 to XF-45 | Extremely Fine | Light wear with attractive detail and traces of mint character. |
| AU-50, AU-53, AU-55, AU-58 | About Uncirculated | Only slight friction on the highest points and much of the luster remains. |
| Range | Label | Typical meaning |
|---|---|---|
| MS-60 to MS-62 | Mint State | No circulation wear, but noticeable marks, weak eye appeal, or subdued luster. |
| MS-63 to MS-64 | Choice Uncirculated | Solid uncirculated coins with fewer distractions and better overall appeal. |
| MS-65 to MS-66 | Gem Mint State | Strong luster, fewer marks, and strong eye appeal. |
| MS-67 to MS-68 | Superb Gem | Exceptional strike and eye appeal with very minor imperfections. |
| MS-69 to MS-70 | Near Perfect / Perfect | Only minuscule flaws at 69 and no post-production imperfections at 70. |
| PR/PF-60 to PR/PF-70 | Proof | Specially struck coins graded on the same 1-70 scale under proof designations. |
| SP | Specimen | Special strike designation used by PCGS for certain issues. |
| Abbreviation | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| AU | About Uncirculated | Used for lightly circulated coins just below Mint State. |
| MS | Mint State | No wear from circulation. |
| PR / PF | Proof | Special collector strike, not a condition by itself. |
| SP | Specimen | Special strike category used on certain coins. |
| BN | Brown | PCGS uses BN for copper or bronze coins with less than 10% original mint red color. |
| RB | Red Brown | PCGS uses RB when about 10% to 90% of original mint red remains. |
| RD | Red | PCGS uses RD when 90% or more of original mint red color remains. |
These grading charts work across coin types as a fast collector reference. Exact grading still depends on strike, luster, contact marks, surface quality, eye appeal, and series-specific standards, so always compare a coin with certified examples when possible.