Separate wear from strike
Wear removes detail after circulation; a weak strike may leave parts of a new coin incomplete. Compare the highest design points, protected recesses, luster flow, and known weak areas for the exact type.
Evaluate surfaces and eye appeal
Record contact marks, hairlines, spots, corrosion, rim damage, color, toning, and remaining luster. Cleaning, polishing, tooling, repair, or environmental damage can matter more than the numerical wear grade.
Use type-specific references
Generic photographs are only a starting point. Grade standards differ by design, strike type, metal, and production quality, so compare several certified examples of the same issue when possible.
Report a range when uncertain
Photographs and online descriptions cannot replace in-hand examination. A conservative grade range with disclosed problems is more useful than unsupported precision.
A worked observation checklist
Hypothetical example: coin A has flat high points with interrupted luster; coin B has a shallow detail with apparently continuous surrounding luster. A may show wear, while B may involve weak strike. Lighting can mislead in photographs, so neither observation alone establishes a numerical grade.
- Record high-point wear separately from recessed detail.
- Record contact marks, cleaning signs and other damage separately.
- Compare the same type against reliable references and record uncertainty.