Okay, since reading a few different threads on circulation and uncirculated and mint state and handling, I thought I'd post this poll. Weigh in as you see fit.
Personally, I've found proof coins in rolls, and just the other day I found cents from 83,85, and 86 that show no signs of wear at all, like they were dropped into circulation yesterday. I'd call those coins MS.
Unless you're the person who pulled it out of circulation, nobody can tell where it came from. If there is no wear visible on the coin, then it grades MS.
I think the key here is "MS" which stands for Mint State - in other words, as if they just came from the mint. The whole discussion gets twisted and convoluted when you start talking about "uncirculated" because then it seems like a contradiction. Stick with "Mint State" and you avoid any problems. BQ, are those 83 and 84 cents that you found "uncirculated"?? They can't be because you found them "circulating"!!!!!
Once again, we're in the world of scemantics. Just what is considered circulated? does it mean that it's been circulated to you from someone? Does it mean that it's been touched? Does it mean that others have once owned it and now you have it? Hmmmmm Maybe it's time to clarify the obvious!
In my view Uncirculated and Mint State mean no wear. They are interchangeable words, mint state coins can't show wear to be "mint state" and uncirculated coins can't show wear or they are no longer "uncirculated", therefore they are the same thing with the same definition.
