Coin grade scale: 1 to 70 numbers and what the words mean

Pick a number from 1 to 70 and see the US word, abbreviation, UK, French and German equivalents with a plain description. Includes a table of all bands and common banknote terms.

Keep it one tap away for everyday use.

Bookmark Grade scale?

Press Ctrl + D now. Your browser opens its own bookmark box, where you choose the name and folder.

  1. Pick number
  2. Read words
  3. Compare
Nothing is uploadedWorks offline once open

1. Pick a number

Coins are often graded on a 1 to 70 scale: 1 is barely recognisable, 70 is perfect. Not every number is used.

2. What it means

…

Words differ a little between countries and grading firms, so the matches are close, not exact. Ask a dealer or a collectors' club if a grade matters for a sale.

3. All coin bands

NumbersUSUKFrenchGermanIn plain words

4. Banknote terms

TermNameWhat it usually means

What it does

Condition has a big effect on what a coin is worth, and different countries use different words for the same wear. This tool lets you pick a number on the 1 to 70 scale and see what dealers in the US, UK, France and Germany would call it, with a short plain description of the wear.

Below that is a table of every band and a table of banknote terms, which use words rather than numbers. Grades are opinions; ask a dealer or a collectors’ club if a grade matters for a sale. For cards, see card centering; for a first size check on a coin, use coin check.

How to use it

  1. Choose a number from the list or drag the slider.
  2. Read the words in each language and the plain description.
  3. Scroll down to compare all bands, or to look up a banknote term.

What each setting does

  • Number: the 1 to 70 value. Only numbers in common use are listed.
  • Slider: steps through the same numbers.

Worked example

Number 45 sits in the Extremely Fine band (EF / XF). A UK dealer says Extremely Fine, a French dealer says SUP (Superbe), and a German dealer says VZ (Vorzüglich). The coin shows light wear on its highest points only, and most fine detail is still sharp.

FAQs

Is this an official grade? No. It is a reference to the words and numbers. Only a person looking at the coin can grade it, and two people may differ by a step.

Why do some bands cover several numbers? Wear is a smooth change, so each word covers a range. Mint State uses 60 to 70 for marks, shine and strike.

Do banknotes use numbers too? Some are graded 1 to 70, but most dealers use the words in the banknote table.

Is anything sent anywhere? No. It all runs in your browser.

Where the numbers come from

  • The 1 to 70 numbering is the widely used Sheldon-style scale for coins. Word equivalents in the UK, French and German columns are the usual dealer matches and are approximate.
  • The plain-words descriptions and banknote notes are fibub's own summaries, not copied from any grading company or guide.

Standard scientific values, such as constants, atomic weights and melting points, are facts found in every textbook; we name where ours were checked. If you are an author or publisher and want a value, a credit or a table changed or removed, tell us and we will act quickly.

Last updated 2026-11-10.

Change log for Grade scale

  1. Codes for the Collecting shelf; fold tool-wide sweeps into one site change in the change log Details on GitHub
  2. Add 12 Collecting tools (#1603-#1614): coin check, specific gravity, grade scale, card centering, gold purity, bullion weights and premium, coin counter, coin dates, serial checker, old money, auction fees Details on GitHub

Every change to fibub

Related tools