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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;eddiespin, post: 421081, member: 4920&quot;]David, let&#039;s take this definition you stand on...namely: &quot;<i><b>Uncirculated:</b> Term to indicate a coin or numismatic item <b>that has never been in circulation</b>, a coin without wear</i>&quot; [<i><b>emphasis </b></i>supplied]. What <i>is </i>a coin <b>that has never been in circulation</b>? Establish that. You own a restaurant, and you found this shiny penny in your cash register, and you sign a notarized affidavit to that effect. Does that establish that coin has been in circulation? I own a restaurant, and I find a shiny penny in my cash register, and I sign a notarized affidavit that I got mine direct from the U.S. Mint. Does that establish my coin has <i>never </i>been in circulation? Think about it. Is direct testimony of any use, here, whatsoever? For one, grading would then have to turn on the credibility of the affiant/witness, wouldn&#039;t it? And then, maybe you want to cross-examine me on my sincerity because you don&#039;t happen to believe I got mine direct from the U.S. Mint, as my notarized affidavit otherwise asserts. Do you see how crazy grading would be if it put <i>any </i>reliance in direct testimony? That should then tell you why grading should rather necessarily rely on a <i>different </i>kind of evidence, <i>only</i>--that being, circumstantial evidence. And, guess what? That&#039;s indeed what it does. Circumstantial evidence, of course, being evidence of the existence of one fact (i.e., &quot;wear&quot;) which establishes a reasonable <i>inference </i>of the existence of another fact (i.e., &quot;circulation&quot;).</p><p><br /></p><p>Think of these terms in <i>those </i>terms (i.e., from an evidentiary standpoint)...or, I&#039;m afraid, you&#039;re going to drive yourself nuts, pal. And, I know, because I didn&#039;t quite understand this, myself, at one point...[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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