State (MS) grades. The difference in price between a
coin grading Mint State 65 (Gem) and its counterpart
grading Mint State 64 could be hundreds or thousands
of dollars.
The grading companies serve a vital function by
providing informed judgments on rare coins' level of
preservation and, in most instances, guaranteeing the
accuracy of those judgments. They remove not only the
guesswork but also much of the risk that used to exist.
These grading services encapsulate each coin in a
sonically-sealed, tamper-resistant plastic holder with an
insert indicating the coin's grade on the one through 70
scale.
At the same time, however, you should always keep in
mind that when you buy certified coins, what you're
really paying for is the coin and not the plastic. The
certification gives the coin greater liquidity, but the
coin should also stand on its own merits. It should be
attractive, pleasing to the eye and otherwise desirable
even without the holder. In short, the certification
should serve to reinforce its desirability.
Right: rear and
front view of the
United States
Liberty one
hundred dollar
platinum coin,
2002
HYLAND
