All about how to easily collect grade coins

Coin collecting isn't just about having the most coins. More important than the number of coins is the quality of those coins. This quality is measured by the grade of the coins, and the grade is measured using a scale from zero to seventy (seventy being the highest point grade). Dr. William Shelby introduced this point scale in his work "Penny Whimsy". Here are the coin classifications by grade. 1. "Mint State" coins. This equates to a 60 to 70 on the Shelby scale. This means that the coin has no defects. Most of the coins in this category are recirculated, shiny, new coins with absolutely no signs of wear. 2. "Almost recirculated" coins "Nearly recirculated" coins have a point grade of 50, 55 or 58. It is very important to note that with these coins, coin collectors must know the location of the highest points on a particular coin. By checking the difference of light reflected at the high points to other parts of the coin, a "nearly recirculated" coin is separated from the mint state coins. 3. "Fine Coins" These can be further graded as 'Extremely Fine' (40, 45), 'Very Fine' (20, 25, 30 and 35) or 'Fine' (12) depending on the sharpness of the remaining details on the coins. Wear has been observed on the coins, but the designs are still intact. On "Extremely Fine" coins, the mint luster is still present. "Very Fine" coins can be compared to coins that have been used for 1-3 years. The small features of the coins are already gone. 4. "Good Coins" These coins can be specifically defined as "very good" (12), "good" and "near fine". Coins in this category are worn. Only faint patterns can be seen, as the details of the coins at high points are almost smooth. For coins graded 'Very Good', full margins must be observed. For "Good" coins, the mint mark and date must be visible. On the other hand, "near fine" coins are the most worn coins in this category. 5. "Fair Coins" The coins are "worn" but can still be distinguished as belonging to one of the coin types - if the coin can be identified, it is a "Fair C". 6. "Basal Coins" Those metals that can be identified as coins - but the type of coins cannot be determined. With the classifications described, it will be very easy to sort coins. Remember, knowledge of coin grades gives coin collectors advantages!During  the reign of Trajan Decius  (249–251 AD), the Roman mint issued a series of coins commemorating all the deified emperors from Augustus to Severus Alexander. The designs on these coins copied those of coins issued by respected rulers  some of the original coins were nearly 300 years old at the time. It would be necessary for the mint to have examples of coins to use as prototypes, and it is hard to see such a gathering as anything other than a collection. In 805 AD, Charlemagne issued a series of coins very similar in style and theme to Roman imperial issues – another example of collected coins that inspired later engravers. Nestorian's scholars and artisans who served the princes of the Jazira (Mesopotamia, now Iraq, Syria and Turkey) in the 12th and 13th centuries designed a magnificent series of coins with motifs based on ancient Greek and Roman issues. Some of them depict the details of the originals so accurately that even the inscriptions are faithfully repeated. Others have been modified in interesting ways. For example, the only difference between the reverse of the Romanus III Byzantine coin and its Islamic copy is that the cross has been removed from the emperor's orb in deference to Muslim sensibilities. The great variety and sophisticated use of these images reveals the existence of well-studied collections. In his 1901 work Traité des monnaies Grecques et Romaines, the eminent French numismatist Ernest Babelon refers to a 1274 manuscript, Thesaurus magnus in medalis auri optimi, which recorded a formal collection of ancient coins in a monastery in Padua, Italy. Petrarch (1304–1374), a famous humanist of the Italian Renaissance, created a remarkably scientific and artistic collection of ancient coins.