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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;GDJMSP, post: 153937, member: 112&quot;]You&#039;re right Frank, it&#039;s not spelled out. Nonetheless that is what the terminology means. Check any grading book for the pictures of coins in the G4 or AG3 grades - in all cases the date is plainly visible with the naked eye. Check any slabbed coin - the same is true. I guess you could say this is one of those unwritten rules - it is merely understood and accepted.</p><p><br /></p><p>Also, if you read any of the vast number of articles written by the foremost graders in the business they will all tell you that you grade coins with your eyes - not a magnifying glass. But don&#039;t misunderstand me, yes a glass or loupe is used in the grading process. But with circulated coins they are only used to find imperfections or possible problems that are hidden to the naked eye and to help establish authenticity. They are not used to see if traces of a date or legends are visible or readable according the criteria for a given grade.</p><p><br /></p><p>In the higher MS grades magnification is used in grading to see fine hairlines or small imperfections. This is really the only time that magnification is used to grade coins.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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