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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;sylvester, post: 32190, member: 708&quot;]The British Standard,. this is how much an average British catalogue will bother with the issue of grading. Coincraft&#039;s description as thusly follows;</p><p><br /></p><p>UNC - There is no wear on the high points, but may not be fully struck. Copper/broze may or may not have lustre.</p><p><br /></p><p>EF - Wear on highest points only, may be lustre</p><p><br /></p><p>VF - Details clear, wear on high points most detail shows clearly</p><p><br /></p><p>F - Details starting to take shape</p><p><br /></p><p>VG - Coin readable, finer details there.</p><p><br /></p><p>G - Lettering there, date easy to read</p><p><br /></p><p>Fair - you can easily identify the coin</p><p><br /></p><p>Poor - nearly a blank disc, but you can identify the coin to a type.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>As for Seaby&#039;s descriptions;</p><p><br /></p><p>FDC - Flawless, unused, no wear, scratches or marks, usually only applied to proofs.</p><p><br /></p><p>UNC - Coin as new from the mint, not necessarily perfect.</p><p><br /></p><p>EF - Little sign of circulation, faint wear on highest points.</p><p><br /></p><p>VF - Some wear on raised surfaces, limited circulation</p><p><br /></p><p>F - Considerable wear</p><p><br /></p><p>Fair - Coin worn, but main features and inscription still distinguishable</p><p><br /></p><p>Poor - Very worn, no collector value unless extremely rare.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>They usually also give pictures of three coins, in this case an Edward III groat, a Geo. II Halfcrown and a Victorian Halfcrown in three grades, F, VF and EF.</p><p><br /></p><p>And this is typical of British catalogues, the Coincraft doesn&#039;t even give pictures. The only way you can learn to grade UK coins is by going out and doing the field work and handling as many specimens as possible from all across the grading spectrum. You have to handle and see the highest grade specimens possible and work the rest out from there.</p><p><br /></p><p>Thee&#039;s no book to describe it, you just have to know the coin designs, and how they wear, where the high points are and where things go first.</p><p><br /></p><p>So Charles II sixpences for instance (i&#039;ve never seen a grading guide illustrating a Chas. II coin) but i&#039;ve had to figure it out for myself based on what i&#039;ve seen. The laurels in the hair nearest the ear are the first to go.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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