PCGS Coin Facts

THE PCGS COINFACTS CONDITION CENSUS

IMPORTANT NOTE: The PCGS CoinFacts Condition Census is a work-in-progress and should be used as a guide only. While every effort is made to be as accurate as possible, errors and omissions may occur. In addition, the census of any particular coin can and does change as new coins are graded and/or discovered. Buyers or sellers of a particular coin should do their own research to determine the relative importance of that coin. PCGS CoinFacts welcomes the input of knowledgeable collectors and dealers to help improve the PCGS CoinFacts Condition Census listings.

The PCGS CoinFacts Condition Census lists the ten finest examples known of a particular coin. The top five in the census are listed on the specifics coin’s “home page.” The entire ten coin census can be viewed by clicking the “more” link at the top right of the home page census. PCGS certified coins are listed at their stated grade. Raw coins and coins certified by other companies are listed with an estimated grade. Where known, auction history or private offerings/sales are included.

Here are the terms used for the grades and what they represent:

PCGS grade – This refers to a coin that has been graded by PCGS.

PCGS estimated grade – This refers to a coin that has been examined recently by David Hall, John Dannreuther, Gordon Wrubel, or PCGS graders. The “PCGS estimated grade” is what we feel the coin would most likely grade at PCGS if submitted for grading.

Estimated grade – When a coin has not been graded by PCGS we list an “Estimated grade” which can come from various sources including our guesstimate of what a coin graded by another grading service  would grade at PCGS, auction catalog notes from the 1970s and 1980s by PCGS founders David Hall, Gordon Wrubel, and John Dannreuther, and in the case of older auction sales our guess as to grade based on the catalog description.

Coins with multiple designations will have multiple census listings. For example, Mercury dimes have a census for the non-full band, i.e. “MS” designated coins, a census for full band, i.e. “MSFB” coins, and a census for “All” which is a combination of both non-full band and full band coins. Thus, it is important to compare all the designations for a particular coin in their proper context. The censuses for the various designations can be view by clicking the specific tab at the top of the census listing. The following coins (and their designations) are affected:

• Copper coins (BN, RB, RD)
• Jefferson Nickels (non-FS and FS)
• Mercury and Roosevelt Dimes (non-FB and FB)
• Standing Liberty Quarter Dollars (non-FH and FH)
• Franklin Half Dollars (non-FBL and FBL)
• Morgan Silver Dollars (non-PL, PL, and DMPL)
• Proof coins (non-CA, CA, DC)

Note that for the “All” census the census order for mixed designations is achieved by comparing the value of the particular grade and designation combination as listed in the PCGS Price guide.