"Select, Choice, Gem"... or?? 0

[James_OldeTowne]

I'm posting this in the Newbie section in hopes of getting some interesting discussion that might be helpful to Newbies (or, heck I'll admit it - to me!)

Traditionally, for U.S. coins, I've always considered "select unc" to mean, MS-60 to MS-62, "choice unc" to mean MS-63, and "gem unc" to indicate MS-65.

For myself, I've invented "very choice unc" to mean MS-64, and "very gem" to mean MS-66, and it seems like "superb unc" is used by some to indicate MS-67.  I have no idea what to call MS-68 and MS-69, but obviously, MS-70 is "perfect uncirculated".

What are your thoughts?  And on the same topic, I have found myself falling into the habit of calling "plus" coins "strong", i.e.  MS-64+ could be referred to as "strong very choice".  For some reason, I really don't like stating "plus" as part of the grade, perhaps because back in the old days, the ANA grading guide explicitly prohibited using a "+" as part of a coin's grade.

What say you?

Edited September 8, 2020 by James_OldeTowne

[VKurtB]

15 minutes ago, James_OldeTowne said:

I'm posting this in the Newbie section in hopes of getting some interesting discussion that might be helpful to Newbies (or, heck I'll admit it - to me!)

Traditionally, for U.S. coins, I've always considered "select unc" to mean, MS-60 to MS-62, "choice unc" to mean MS-63, and "gem unc" to indicate MS-65.

For myself, I've invented "very choice unc" to mean MS-64, and "very gem" to mean MS-66, and it seems like "superb unc" is used by some to indicate MS-67.  I have no idea what to call MS-68 and MS-69, but obviously, MS-70 is "perfect uncirculated".

What are your thoughts?  And on the same topic, I have found myself falling into the habit of calling "plus" coins "strong", i.e.  MS-64+ could be referred to as "strong very choice".  For some reason, I really don't like stating "plus" as part of the grade, perhaps because back in the old days, the ANA grading guide explicitly prohibited using a "+" as part of a coin's grade.

What say you?

I wish all those terms would completely fall into disuse. Use the numbers. Surrender. "Resistance is futile."

[gmarguli]

30+ years ago when I started collecting, those were the terms that were associated with the numeric grade. However, I recall Select UNC to be MS62 and not lower than that. MS60/61 was just unc. I also recall nice and strong being used instead of plus. 

There are two others that you missed:

Cleaned UNC = MS61

About Uncirculated UNC = MS62

[VKurtB]

10 minutes ago, gmarguli said:

Cleaned UNC = MS61

About Uncirculated UNC = MS62

I don't care who you are, that there's funny. And correct.

[Coinbuf]

When I first started to collect I recall the term UNC used for MS62 and under to include very baggy, cleaned (but acceptable to the dealer), and sliders being passed as UNC.  Choice was mostly MS63 and MS64 level material, and gem referred to MS65 and better.  I knew a few dealers that would break it down a bit further but that was the usual in my area at that time.  

[Just Bob]

I remember when an MS65 really was a "Gem BU." Nowadays, many of them are much too baggy for my taste.