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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;dougsmit, post: 2345582, member: 19463&quot;]Allowing MS to include coins that left the mint with significant defects leaves us with the real possibility of a VF coin actually being better than a MS.&nbsp; I do not have MS coins that demonstrate this but there are many coins that entered the world with no detail.&nbsp; The Hadrian sestertius below has relatively little wear and lots of hair detail at the back of the head but the higher points are completely flat.&nbsp; The coin was born simultaneously MS and F???&nbsp; Today the face and back of head look EF.&nbsp; We used to say VF required an intact laurel wreath so this one is aF at best. </p><p>[ATTACH=full]477039[/ATTACH] </p><p>This is a point I feel is poorly addressed in standard US grading.&nbsp; A coin can be MS60 or MS69 but the tiniest bit of circulation wear drops both to AU58.&nbsp; Which is a better looking coin - a boldly struck (full head, full steps or whatever) AU or a miserable when made bottom level MS60?&nbsp; That is why some of us prefer Steve&#039;s grading.&nbsp; I do not wish to disparage the Sheldon system as it was originally intended but the way it grew after leaving large cents and entering general use by people willing to pay ten times as much for MS65 and MS63 is not pretty.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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