They can still be graded but by distinction......they can't be rated as mint state because they generally don't circulate. Hence the 'PR' designation.
This article is a collection of Numismatic and coin collecting terms with concise explanation for the beginner or professional. Uncirculated Coin that has never been used, thus retaining all or most of its original luster.
Thanks for the definition! Unfortunately, it is oversimplified either due to lack of knowledge or space in a book. Definitions like this only serve to confuse those on their way to becoming knowledgeable numismatists after they leave the coin horder or new beggining collector phase. Lest I be accused of not answering a question THAT WAS ALREADY ANSWERED in this thread..."Uncirculated" is a state of preservation. The coin's history after it was struck in unimportant.
What you are getting upset about is the very definition of ignorance. Basically, ignorance is the state on "not knowing" which folks almost always confuse with being called "stupid" which is the state of being "unable to learn". I once got really pissed off with being called ignorant so much so that I looked up the definition of the word to formulate a reply. Much to my surprise, I was absolutely "ignorant" on what I was posting about! Ignorant - "lacking knowledge, information, or awareness about something in particular." A person could have an IQ of 180 yet be completely "ignorant" about coins. BUT, knowing the meaning of the word and using it can be two completely different things. Generally speaking, one should not call someone "ignorant" but should instead refer to their ignorance on a specific subject. It might lessen the pain of the word. I only say that since sometimes, folks come on here with a presumption over what they have and no amount of discourse will ever change their minds. They will, IMO, remain blissfully ignorant over what they have and then their heirs will spent it just like any other common piece.
By a strictly semantic definition, every coin which leaves the US Mint has entered circulation and as such, it technically circulated. As stated earlier by @Insider , circulation is a state of preservation.
I like the Redbook definition. Uncirculated = A circulation-strike coin that has never been used in commerce, and has retianed it's original suface and luster; also called Mint State. How can I Ignore that? And yes if I Ignore something it is called Ignorance and that make me Ignorant to that something.
Still my problem with that. A circulation-strike coin leaves the mint and goes into a cash drawer at K-Mart where I buy a candy bar and get it in change...uncirculated?
So they say the condition of the coin judges the fact if it's considered uncirculated or circulated. I kinda understand where the author of the discussion in the magazines was coming from. If I take the perspective that a coin is judged by its condition to determine if it was circulated or uncirculated. Then I would have to say 70% of the coins that I examined would be classified as uncirculated. But yet all the coins that I've examined came right out of circulation. I don't know about you but you can see how one could get confused about circulated or uncirculated. If you really want to get confused start collecting coins. Then you'll learn words like grease/circulated/uncirculated and many many more. With as many definitions for those words even in NUMISMTIC terminology.And like I've been saying a lot of people nowadays, really do not care about the proper terminology. Now if people really want to get serious about collecting. They will take the time to get confuse about all the different terminologies used in coin collecting. Had this discussion last week at breakfast. Generally the people I'm discussing the issue with. Occasionally keep coins that they find that they like. I guess these are people that are not really into collecting. But yet in a small way they do collect. And everyone that I asked the question. Every one of them came back with a circulated coin is a coin that's in circulation. And I'm sure plenty of the members out there have asked this question to their friends. And I don't mean the die hard collectors I mean the friends that occasionally pick up coins.You know this whole thing reminds me of something many years ago. I remember when I was told to put the garbage out for the garbageman the next day. But also many years ago garbageman was considered inappropriate. I can remember when that was changed to sanitation engineer. But even today most people still consider the people that pick up our garbage as garbageman. I guess my point is that people are gonna call things what they want to call them. Whether it be correct or incorrect they really don't care.
I cannot disagree with anything that you said in your quote. But as one human being to another I would never say you're ignorant. Because all human beings on this planet are ignorant. There's so many things I would like to learn but do not have the time in my lifetime. I just believe it's a word that should not be used towards another human being.Unfortunately in life there are a lot of us out there that have some form of dyslexia. And no matter how hard we try we just can't learn something. That does not make us ignorant. Nor does that make us stupid. It is just something that our minds will not let us learn no matter how much we want to. Ever since I joined CT. I do not think any time in my life have I ever been called ignorant so much. In a face-to-face confrontation most of the time people will choose their words carefully. At least when it concerns me. And I have found a lot of members on CT use ignorance a lot. But they confuse ignorance, with someone who actually knows the subject. But disagrees with the subject and what it stands for. In that case I guess it would be noncompliant. Or basically does not agree. So calling that individual ignorant would be an incorrect term.Next time you think about calling someone ignorant. (Think about all the things that you do not know. Or all the things that you know but disagree with. Maybe it would help you choose your words a little more wisely).USMC60
A couple of things that as true today as they were 2,000 years ago. People will only believe what they want to believe. Julius Caesar Do not correct a fool, or he will hate you; correct a wise man, and he will appreciate you. Proverbs 9-8
You had to go there... The coin in your example is no longer uncirculated because it CIRCULATED. However, once it gets into your hand, if its condition of preservation is Mint State, than it is "Uncirculated." This should be a very easy concept for anyone to understand - agree? NEVERTHELESS, it appears I am terribly misguided and have misjudged the clarity of this concept.
You really remind me of a fellow I taught school with. He was the physics teacher and could go on and on about how people misused words that had very set definitions in physics...his discourse of "power" alone would last 10 minutes.
I think what is being confused here is that in this context "uncirculated" is a description of the condition of the coin...not its history. Yes, a mint state coin pulled from circulation has obviously been used in commerce in some form (and thus it has a history of circulation)...but from a condition standpoint it's "uncirculated." I could be wrong (and if I am feel free to correct me...Doug)...but I have always felt that using the term "uncirculated" is somewhat of an informal way of describing a coin. There is no grade that is called uncirculated. There is a grade that is "Almost/About Uncirculated" (I have seen both "almost" and "about" used in books and I don't know if one is more correct that the other)...those are coins that would receive a numerical grade of 50-59 such as AU50. Those are coins that have slight wear. Once you move into coins that have no wear...the grades change to "Mint State" or "MS" 60-70. So, I have always felt that "uncirculated" was simply a less formal (and perhaps more confusing) way to say "mint state."
