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NGC

Numismatic Guaranty Company

The world's largest third-party coin grading service

Coins Founded 1987 Sarasota, Florida

About NGC

Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) is the world's largest third-party coin grading and encapsulation service. Founded in 1987, NGC has certified over 55 million coins and tokens, setting the standard for coin grading worldwide. NGC is a sister company to CGC (comics) and both operate under the Certified Collectibles Group.

NGC uses the Sheldon scale, a 1-70 grading system developed by Dr. William Sheldon in 1949. This scale has become the universal standard for coin grading. Coins grading 60 and above are considered Mint State (uncirculated), while proof coins receive a separate PR/PF designation. NGC evaluates strike quality, surface preservation, luster, and eye appeal.

NGC is known for rigorous standards and their EdgeView holders that allow examination of a coin's edge — critical for detecting counterfeits and evaluating full details. Their online census tracks population data, and NGC-graded coins are accepted at all major auction houses worldwide.

NGC Grading Scale

NGC uses the Sheldon scale (1-70), the industry standard for numismatic grading.

Grade Label Description
MS/PF 70 Perfect Uncirculated A flawless coin with no marks, hairlines, or imperfections visible under 5x magnification. Full original luster and strike. The highest attainable grade.
MS/PF 69 Near Perfect Virtually perfect with only the most trivial imperfection. Full luster and eye appeal. Minor die polishing lines or a single tiny mark.
MS/PF 68 Superb Gem Only the most minor weakness or imperfection. Full luster with exceptional eye appeal. A truly superb coin.
MS/PF 67 Superb Gem Above-average luster and strike with only a few small contact marks or minor imperfections. Outstanding eye appeal.
MS/PF 66 Gem Well-struck with above-average eye appeal. Minor marks or hairlines are present but don't detract from overall beauty.
MS/PF 65 Gem Strong luster and eye appeal with light marks or hairlines. A beautiful coin suitable for the most discriminating collection.
MS/PF 64 Choice Attractive with good luster. Several small marks or one or two moderate-sized marks may be present.
MS/PF 63 Choice Moderate distracting marks or minor blemishes. Luster may be impaired. Still an attractive uncirculated coin.
MS/PF 60-62 Uncirculated No trace of wear on the highest points. May have heavy marks, hairlines, or impaired luster. Still technically uncirculated.
AU 50-58 About Uncirculated Slight wear on the highest points. Most of the original mint luster remains. Attractive coins at the cusp of uncirculated.
XF 40-45 Extremely Fine Light wear on high points. All design details sharp and clearly defined. Some original luster may be visible.
VF 20-35 Very Fine Moderate wear on high points. Major features are sharp and clear. A well-defined, problem-free coin.
F 12-15 Fine Moderate to heavy wear. Design is clear but flat in spots. A solid collectible grade for many series.
VG 8-10 Very Good Well-worn with main features clear but flat. Full outline of design visible.
G 4-6 Good Heavily worn. Design visible but flat. Peripheral lettering nearly full.
AG 3 About Good Very heavily worn. Outline of design visible. Parts of date and legend may be worn smooth.
PO 1 Poor Barely identifiable. Date and mint may be gone. Must have enough detail to identify the type.

What Makes NGC Unique

  • World's largest coin certification service with 55+ million coins graded
  • EdgeView holders allow examination of coin edges for authentication
  • Sheldon 1-70 grading scale — the universal standard for numismatics
  • Comprehensive online census and population reports
  • Accepted at all major auction houses and dealers worldwide

Frequently Asked Questions

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