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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;GDJMSP, post: 2730625, member: 112&quot;]There is one thing and only one thing that ever makes a coin, any coin, AU - and that is wear.</p><p><br /></p><p>Things like contact marks, hits, dings, hairlines, minor scratches - a coin can literally be covered with them and that coin will still be considered MS, and justly so. It is only when a coin has wear that the grade of a coin is lowered below MS.</p><p><br /></p><p>There are however many things that can make a coin ungradeable - and that means no grade at all. Here is a list of them.</p><p><br /></p><p><i>82&nbsp; &nbsp; Filed Rims&nbsp; &nbsp; Rim(s) and/or edge is filed.</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p><i>83&nbsp; &nbsp; Peeling Lamination&nbsp; &nbsp; Potential for sealing damage.</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p><i>84&nbsp; &nbsp; Holed and/or Plugged&nbsp; &nbsp; Any filled or non-filled hole.</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p><i>86 No Opinion – our experts are unable to determine a coin’s authenticity –</i></p><p><i>&nbsp;fee not refunded</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p><i>87 Not Eligible For Service Selected – the coin is too valuable for the</i></p><p><i>&nbsp;chosen service level – fee refunded</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p><i>90 Questionable Authenticity – the coin is most likely a counterfeit.</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p><i>91|N-1 Questionable/Artificial Toning (or Questionable Color for copper)</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p><i>92|N-2 Cleaned – surface damage due to a harsh, abrasive cleaning</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p><i>93|N-3 Planchet Flaw - Metal impurity or defect in the planchet – </i></p><p><i>depends on severity</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p><i>94|N-4 Altered Surface - Whizzed, harsh cleaning, thumbed over </i></p><p><i>(using a pasty substance to cover defects or alter the appearance).</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p><i>95|N-5 Scratch - depends on the severity of the scratch. Rim dent.</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p><i>96|N-6 No Service – coins we do not certify (i.e. medals, some privately </i></p><p><i>made issues, etc.) or cannot certify (i.e. over-sized coins)</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p><i>97|N-7 Environmental Damage – i.e. corrosion, coating (lacquer), </i></p><p><i>excessively heavy toning, etc.</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p><i>98|N-8 Damage – deliberate surface damage, i.e. graffiti, spot(s) removed, </i></p><p><i>etc. – depends on severity</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p><i>99|N-9 PVC (Poly-Vinyl-Chloride) – a plasticizer used to produce vinyl that </i></p><p><i>will leach out of the holder and onto the coin, eventually damaging the </i></p><p><i>surfaces.</i></p><p><br /></p><p>Now these things that make a coin ungradeable were not defined or established by the TPGs, they were defined and established, and accepted by the numismatic community as being valid reasons for making a coin ungradeable long before the TPGs ever existed.</p><p><br /></p><p>And if one wishes to disagree with these principles, well, that&#039;s up to the individual I guess. But if you do, then you at least must give some consideration as to determining what standards you do grade coins by.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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