To my understanding, it’s a coin graded Mint State 65 or greater. Although it seems that term is used liberally as of late.
GEM = This generally means the item is in mint condition, human hands have not touched it. When a coin is minted, it is handled only by machines in a clean-room environment. GEM is the highest quality of an "uncirculated" coin.
Try reading this older post...you will get the idea https://www.cointalk.com/threads/what-exactly-is-gem-bu.200255/
Since the terminology had little meaning, it was mostly to sell coins to beginners as there was few standards that the average collector could access to determine grades. Now with the internet widespread presence, comparisons can be made with a large number of examples determined by multiple experts. Jim
You guys really don't have to speculate. The terms are defined in the ANA grading guide. Marketers may use the wrong terms, but they just as often overgrade their wares. I see no real difference. See here for the full grading standards: https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/ana-grading-for-uncirculated-state-coins-4041821 MS60 - 62: Brilliant Uncirculated MS63 - 64: Choice Uncirculated MS65 - 66: Gem Uncirculated MS67 - 69: Superb Gem or Choice Gem Uncirculated MS-70 : Perfect Uncirculated
That's right, only monkeys and chimps have touched them. So does that mean TPG graders are not human?
PCGS - Primate Coin Grading Service NGC - Numismatic Gorillas Certifiers ANACS - Another Numismatic Apes Certification Service
So, any MS65 coin with a fingerprint is not a Gem? I wouldn't WANT buy it, unless he eye appeal was overwhelming, but technically it would still be considered a Gem. And if the fingerprint belonged to someone famous, them even better!
For a coin to be Gem to me it has to be fully struck by new dies and it can't have marking, chicken scratches or other distracting characteristics and blemishes. It must be well centered and cleanly struck. It must be in the top 10 to 20 percentile in every single characteristic. Otherwise it is merely "gemmy". Fortunately with modern mint practices if it's Gem in a few categories there's an excellent chance it's Gem in all of them. The lowest grade a true Gem will receive from the services is MS-65 but the reality is they often grade dogs as MS-65 and much higher.
MS-65 and above. But what that means depends on the coin as there is no standard for what exactly is a 65.
