[Merged] Change your coins using machine at TD Bank, FREE

[myapple]

good
very good
fine
very fine
extra fine
almost uncirculated
mint state.....

these are the grades that coins are classified and graded. Based upon circulation and the amount of rubbing/handling and the clearness of features. Hope that helps.

in coin talk, "good" actually means pretty bad (aka most of the detail is rubbed off the face of the coin).

[watching]

anyone able to explain what G4 VG8 F12 VF20 EF40 AU50 MS60 MS62 MS63

means?

About Good aG-3 This is a very heavily worn coin with portions of the lettering, date and legends being worn smooth and the date may be barely readable.

Good G-4 This is a heavily worn piece with all major designs visible, though in little more than outline shapes with very little central detail. There may be faintness in some areas, but all lettering should be readable.

Very Good VG-8 This is a well worn piece with most of the larger details of the designs being worn nearly smooth.

Fine F-12 There is moderate to considerable even wear and although the original designs are recognizable and all lettering visible, they have some weaknesses and lack details.

Very Fine VF-20 There is moderate wear on all of the high parts of the coin and the designs and lettering have lost much of their sharpness. The original mint lustre is virtually gone.

Very Fine Plus VF-30 There is a light even wear on all but the most protected surfaces, and the details on the high points are worn, though there is still some sharpness to the major design features and lettering. Traces of original mint lustre remain in the most protected areas.

Extremely Fine EF-40 There is light wear on the high points of the designs, but there is still an excellent overall sharpness. Considerable mint lustre will still show in the protected areas.

Choice Extremely Fine EF-45 There is a very light overall wear on the coin’s higher points, though all of the design details are very sharp. Mint lustre is still prominent on many areas of the coin’s surface, though mainly in protected areas.

About Uncirculated AU-50 There are traces of wear on most of the higher areas of the designs and considerable disruption is seen in the larger fields. At least half of the original mint lustre is present.

Choice About Uncirculated AU-55 There are only small traces of wear visible on the highest points of the coin. Wear often occurs in different spots on different designs, and the larger fields will show some surface disruptions, however much of the original lustre is intact.

Very Choice About Uncirculated AU-58 There are only the slightest traces of wear visible on the highest points of the coin, frequently, they are little more than lustre breaks. A light halo of hairlining might be visible as the coin is rotated in the light, and there may be a few rubs in the larger fields.

Typical Mintstate MS-60 The surfaces of an MS-60 coin will often have what is often described as a "baggy" look, with a numerous "bag marks" or "hits" of varying sizes depending on the hardness of the metal. And, while it is usual to expect an MS-60 to look a bit beat-up, if any of the hits are abnormally large or deep, they need to be described separately. The strike may be soft or weak, and the lustre may be impaired by a dullness from over dipping and be much less than expected on a new coin of its type. There is, however, no wear on the surfaces of the coin.

Choice Mintstate MS-63 Generally speaking, this can be thought of as a nice example of Mintstate coin which does not meet the exacting quality requirements of a Gem Mintstate coin. An MS-63 coin will be an attractive and quite typical example of a "new" coin of its type with a strike that is typical for the series. There will be a number of surface marks, but not too many, too large nor too awkwardly placed so as to be a distraction. And, while the lustre is usually attractive, it may be somewhat subdued or there may be some dull areas. Frequently, an MS-63 coin is an MS-65 coin that has a slight deficiency such as one too many hits. Also very often, one of the grading factors will be of a high quality not normally seen at this grade and will compensate for a weaker factor, such as superb lustre balancing a weak strike, or diminished lustre being propped-up by near flawless surfaces.

Gem Mintstate MS-65 There is a definite look of quality to an MS-65 coin that easily distinguishes it from lower grades of Mintstate. On initial examination, with the naked eye, the piece will appear nearly perfect. A more detailed examination will uncover minor flaws. The strike will be no less than that typically seen for the series, and the surfaces will have only slight marks that will not distract from the overall appeal of the coin. The lustre will normally be better than that usually seen on Mintstate coins of its type. It is not unusual that one of these factors will be well above the required level and will compensate for another factor which is a bit below standard. Virtually flawless surfaces may, for example make up for subdued lustre or a slightly weak strike.

Superb Mintstate MS-67 Pieces of this quality will immediately catch the experienced eye and will appear as perfect coins to most other graders. They are distinguished by their full (or very nearly full) strike, superb, virtually flawless surfaces and superb lustre. If there are any shortcomings or detractions, they are not initially obvious, but will be discovered only after extensive study under magnification. These are exceptional pieces, rarely seen.

Perfect Specimen, Perfect Proof SP-70, PF-70Although rarely seen, these are attainable grades, since Specimens and Proofs are generally double struck on specially prepared, polished blanks using specially prepared dies on a slow, high pressure press, and the pieces are immediately hand picked off the press with gloved hands and carefully placed in protective holders.

Perfect Mintstate MS-70 is a theoretical perfection. To achieve such a grade, the planchet will have to have been perfectly formed, and have flawless, lint-free surfaces. The dies will have to have been in new condition and raised from unworn masters, and the dies will have had no lint, dust, oil or other contaminants on their surfaces. The coining press will have been perfectly adjusted to give a full strike to the coin, which will then have received no marks upon being ejected from the press, nor in its slide down the chutes and sorting tables/grids and into a receiving bin. Nor will it have been marred by all the other coins following it into the bin, nor from the dumping and counting into bags for distribution. Such a coin is not possible. We are dealing here with an automated process that manufactures "Business Strikes" intended for daily commerce.


See here for pics of coins graded per above

http://www.coinoisseur.com/GradingCo...DING%20SYSTEMS

[CCCC3333]

There are higher gradings than MS65,

MS-70 Perfect Mintstate (Theoretical perfection - and therefore not used)

MS-69 Superb Mintstate

MS-68 Superb Mintstate

MS-67 Superb Mintstate

MS-66 Gem Mintstate

......which is more along the lines of what you're saying. However, if you have a 1921 nickel (or 5 cent piece to be picky), I'll buy it off you for $2.

All of the major coin grading companies (PCGS, NGC, etc.) use MS70.

[Topher]

Strictly speaking those weren't nickels, they were five cent pieces, since they were made of silver. The nick-name "nickel" came to be used later when the metal was changed. Of course, we probably shouldn't call the current coins nickels either, since they're made of steel now...

Silver 5 cent coins were only minted up until 1920, so you're off by a year.

[Ramune]

Silver 5 cent coins were only minted up until 1920, so you're off by a year.

Nope - the last silver 5¢ pieces were minted in 1921 (.800 fine silver). They're rare - that's why they're worth so much. The mint melted most of them down after deciding that year to switch to nickel (see Coins of Canada, J.A Haxby). Only about 400 survived.

https://www.jandm.com/script/getitem.asp?CID=3&PID=84

[Nikita]

Uhhhh....before you all roll up those coins here's a site that might benefit you

http://www.stanford.edu/~clint/cp/

A 1921 Canadian nickel can be worth up to 30K.

Very helpful site, along with all the other info, thank you! Yes, watching, I'm actually thanking you for something, must be the season......lol. Seriously though, my mom has been collecting coins all her life and has a whole whack of them that her mother had collected before her. I'm sure this site will be helpful, as well as the references to books. Looking in a bookstore is like bobbing for apples, I don't know which books are accurate and helpful and which ones aren't.

[Nikita]

Any one know if any casinos stil use coins? Used to take my nickels and quarters to them

Not at Caesars Windsor. I'm sure they'll still change them for you but no they're not used in the slots or any other gaming.

And a 1911 loonie worth up to 750k. But according to the site, all those high prices are for mint condition coins, which basically means coins that haven't been in circulation. So even if you're lucky enough to snag a really old coin by accident, it is likely going to be in very bad condition and therefore worthless.

They weren't making loonies in 1911...to be overly technical,they were making silver dollars.

Edit: actually I'm only assuming they were 'silver' dollars back then, just that those are the earliest dollar coins I can remember.

[Topher]

Nope - the last silver 5¢ pieces were minted in 1921 (.800 fine silver). They're rare - that's why they're worth so much. The mint melted most of them down after deciding that year to switch to nickel (see Coins of Canada, J.A Haxby). Only about 400 survived.

https://www.jandm.com/script/getitem.asp?CID=3&PID=84

You are correct. My mistake. I, however, being a mere mortal, will probably never even see one in my lifetime.

[twotterdhc6]

Coin-counting machines already exist in banks, for example, the BMO branch inside Square One, Mississauga. I don't own a BMO account, so I don't know the details (fees etc) but this TD pilot project is definitely not the first.

[Topher]

Coin-counting machines already exist in banks, for example, the BMO branch inside Square One, Mississauga. I don't own a BMO account, so I don't know the details (fees etc) but this TD pilot project is definitely not the first.

If there are other banks with the free coin counters, then they're not making it known. I use CIBC and RBC and both make me roll my own coins. CIBC even makes me write the account number on the side if it's not the clear plastic wrapper. I'll have to check out the BMO since I don't live too far from it. I always have lots of loose change to dump, this would just let me do it much faster.

[NFN_NLN]

I had the same question but rather than ask, I googled it and had the answer in 20 seconds. Amazing eh? You should try it.

Since you didn't post the answer you're actually more useless than the guy that asked the question. What makes more sense: hundreds of people googling the same answer wasting a collective time measured in hours OR actually posting the answer.

You should try stuffing a wang in your mouth. I think you'll find it amazing.

[Cheapo-Findo]

ouch

[watching]

All of the major coin grading companies (PCGS, NGC, etc.) use MS70.

For what? Anyone can send a coin to be graded, and obviously they aren't all graded MS70. ?????????

[passthatversace]

Anyone know of any in Montreal?

[watching]

Anyone know of any in Montreal?

I think there are only 2 big ones in Canada, CCCS and ICCS. CCCS is in Saint-Basile-Le-Grand

Canadian Coin Certification Service is here: http://canadiancoincertification.com/


ICCS (International Coin Certification Service) is in Toronto.