NGC uses the internationally accepted Sheldon grading scale of 1 to 70, which was first used in the United States in the late 1940s. This scale was adopted by NGC when it began operations in 1987 and is considered to be the industry standard. Below are NGC's grading standards for each numeric grade as well as major strike types and designations.
NGC uses two-letter codes before a coin's numeric grade to describe its method of production and overall appearance. The most common are MS for Mint State coins (those struck for circulation) and PF for Proof coins (those struck for collectors). Another strike type is SP for Specimen, which describes a coin that falls short of the definition for Proof but is superior to Mint State.
NGC uses a numeric grade to succinctly describe a problem-free coin’s condition. The available numeric grades range from 1 to 70 based on an internationally recognized scale developed in the 1940s. As the numeric grade increases, a coin’s condition is considered to be better. Some numbers are skipped below the grade of 60, which is the threshold for a coin to be considered Uncirculated.
| MS/PF 70 | A coin with no post-production imperfections at 5x magnification. |
| MS/PF 69 | A fully struck coin with nearly imperceptible imperfections. |
| MS/PF 68 | Very sharply struck with only miniscule imperfections. |
| MS/PF 67 | Sharply struck with only a few imperfections. |
| MS/PF 66 | Very well struck with minimal marks and hairlines. |
| MS/PF 65 | Well struck with moderate marks or hairlines. |
| MS/PF 64 | Average or better strike with several obvious marks or hairlines and other miniscule imperfections. |
| MS/PF 63 | Slightly weak or average strike with moderate abrasions and hairlines of varying sizes. |
| MS/PF 62 | Slightly weak or average strike with no trace of wear. More or larger abrasions than an MS/PF 63. |
| MS/PF 61 | Weak or average strike with no trace of wear. More marks and/or multiple large abrasions. |
| MS/PF 60 | Weak or average strike with no trace of wear. Numerous abrasions, hairlines and/or large marks. |
| AU 58 | Slight wear on the highest points of the design. Full details. |
| AU 55 | Slight wear on less than 50% of the design. Full details. |
| AU 53 | Slight wear on more than 50% of the design. Full details except for very minor softness on the high points. |
| AU 50 | Slight wear on more than 50% of the design. Full details except for minor softness on the high points. |
| XF 45 | Complete details with minor wear on some of the high points. |
| XF 40 | Complete details with minor wear on most of the high points. |
| VF 35 | Complete details with wear on all of the high points. |
| VF 30 | Nearly complete details with moderate softness on the design areas. |
| VF 25 | Nearly complete details with more softness on the design areas. |
| VF 20 | Moderate design detail with sharp letters and digits. |
| F 15 | Recessed areas show slight softness. Letters and digits are sharp. |
| F 12 | Recessed areas show more softness. Letters and digits are sharp. |
| VG 10 | Wear throughout the design. Letters and digits show softness. |
| VG 8 | Wear throughout the design. Letters and digits show more softness. |
| G 6 | Peripheral letters and digits are full. Rims are sharp. |
| G 4 | Peripheral letters and digits are nearly full. Rims exhibit wear. |
| AG 3 | Most letters and digits are readable. Rims are worn into the fields. |
| FR 2 | Some details are visible. Rims are barely visible. |
| PO 1 | Enough detail to identify the coin's date and type. Rims are flat or nearly flat. |
Adjectival Grades: NGC will occasionally grade bulk submissions of common coins with adjectival grades instead of numeric grades. To learn more about adjectival grades, click here.
NGC uses the Plus ( 
) and Star ( 
) designations to distinguish coins at the high end of their assigned grade and/or with exceptional eye appeal for their assigned grade. All coins are evaluated for the Plus and Star designations as part of the normal NGC coin grading process, and they are assigned automatically for no additional fee. Learn more >
Strike characters are used to describe how well an area of a coin is struck and when information is of specific interest to collectors. For example, strike characters can describe the degree of red luster on a copper coin’s surface (BN, RB and RD), the degree of contrast on a Proof coin (Cameo and Ultra Cameo) or other distinctive features, such as FB for Full Bands on a Mercury Dime.
| RD | Red. A coin with full mint red luster. |
| RB | RB Red Brown. A coin with a mix of red luster and brown patina. |
| BN | Brown. A coin with full or nearly full brown patina. |
| Ultra Cameo | Applies only to PF coins. The fields are deeply mirrored and the devices are heavily frosted for bold contrast on both sides of the coin. |
| Cameo | Applies only to PF coins. The fields are deeply mirrored and the devices are frosted for moderate contrast on both sides of the coins. |
| DPL | Deep Prooflike. The fields are deeply mirrored. Does not apply to Proof coins. |
| PL | Prooflike. The fields are mirrored. Does not apply to Proof coins. |
NGC offers several special releases designations to recognize coins received for grading within a specified timeframe or at a particular event. These releases designations, such as Early Releases, First Releases, First Day of Issue and Show Releases, capture the excitement of a new release and are generally paired with special NGC certification labels.
| Early & First Releases | Offered for select coins received by NGC or an NGC-approved depository during the first 30 days of release. |
| First Day of Issue | Offered for select coins purchased within one day of the first day that a mint makes a new coin issue available for sale and received by NGC or an NGC-approved depository within one week of the release date. |
| Show Releases | Offered for select coins purchased from a mint’s booth at a trade show and submitted to NGC at the same trade show. |
NGC defines a Mint State or Proof 70 coin as having no post-production imperfections at 5x magnification.
Mint State coins are struck in the same format as circulation issues. The MS strike type applies to grades 60 to 70.
Proof coins are struck in a special format for collectors. The PF strike type applies to grades 60 to 70.
Specimen coins are a hybrid between Mint State and Proof. The SP strike type can apply to a variety of finishes.