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Grading basics for pennies: from Good to Mint State

3 min read · Updated Oct 4, 2026

The 1 to 70 scale

The Sheldon scale originated in the late 1940s for early US cents. Major grading services now use it for many US coins. English names and abbreviations are also used internationally; they do not directly correspond to every country's traditional grading terms.

• AG-3, About Good: very heavy wear; most inscriptions remain readable and parts of the rim merge into the fields.
• G-4, Good: a heavily flattened design; peripheral letters and digits are almost fully recognizable.
• VG-8, Very Good: wear across the design, with more detail than Good.
• F-12, Fine: moderate wear; inscriptions remain sharp while recessed detail softens.
• VF-20, Very Fine: moderate surviving detail with clear letters and digits; high-point wear is visible.
• XF-40, Extremely Fine: nearly complete detail with light wear on most high points.
• AU-50, About Uncirculated: slight wear, nearly complete details and potentially surviving mint luster.
• MS-60 through MS-70, Mint State: no circulation wear. Contact marks, luster and strike quality then help determine the grade. MS-60 may have many marks. At the highest level, NGC specifically evaluates post-production imperfections under five-times magnification.

Proof is a manufacturing process, not a level above MS-70. A Proof coin can also have wear or surface problems.

Where Lincoln cents wear first

On the front, examine the cheek, jaw and hair above the ear. On Wheat reverses, the lines in the wheat ears are informative. If wear has removed many lines, the grade is usually lower. Examine both sides when available and combine several clues.

For a genuine 1909-S VDB 1909-S V.D.B., our catalogue shows about $470 at G-4 and $890 at VF-20. These estimates illustrate grade's effect; they are not purchase offers. This frequently counterfeited issue deserves professional authentication, for example by PCGS or NGC.

Worn coin or worn die?

A worn die can produce soft details from the moment a coin is struck. NGC describes this, among other examples, on Denver and San Francisco cents of 1911–1927. Such a coin may still retain its original luster. Judge the luster and surfaces as well as sharpness.

Why a photo grade remains an estimate

Even specialists must weigh different characteristics. A service examines the physical coin under suitable lighting and magnification. Photos may hide small contact marks, cleaning hairlines and actual luster. Penny Value therefore shows an estimated range. Consider an independent assessment for a potentially valuable coin, including its cost.

Penny Value is an Android app for now, so it isn't on the App Store. The values and checks on this page are free to use.Penny Value is an Android app. Open this page on your Android phone to check your own penny with a photo.

Coins in this guide

• 1909-S V.D.B.

  San Francisco · 484,000 made

  Key date

  $750worn

  $2,000MS-60

Related guides

• Red, Red-Brown or Brown: why a penny's color matters
• Where to get a penny graded or sold — and when it's worth it

Sources

1. Wikipedia, “Sheldon coin grading scale” (accessed 2026-09-26)
2. NGC, “NGC Coin Grading Scale” (accessed 2026-10-04)
3. NGC, “Grading Lincoln Cents (1909-Date)” (accessed 2026-10-04)
4. American Numismatic Association, “None the Worse for Wear” (accessed 2026-09-26)
5. U.S. Mint, “Get Started Collecting Coins” (accessed 2026-09-26)