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Coin Grading Guide
New to raw coins? This guide explains grades in plain language so you can buy and sell on Dent Coins with more confidence.
Barely identifiable. Date or type may be hard to read. Collectible mainly for completeness of a set.
Heavily worn. Major design outlines remain; most fine detail is gone.
Worn but clearer. More of the major design is visible than Good.
Moderate wear. Major features clear; finer details partially worn.
Light to moderate wear on high points. Much detail remains.
Slight wear on the highest points. Sharp overall look.
Traces of wear only. Much original mint luster may remain.
No wear from circulation (MS60–MS70 scale for quality of strike, marks, and eye appeal). “BU” often means bright uncirculated.
What “undergraded” means
Undergraded means the coin looks better than the price (or a rough grade label) suggests—more detail, better eye appeal, or stronger originality than a casual glance might imply. It is a collector judgment call, not a promise that a grading company will assign a specific number.
Raw vs. slabbed
Raw coins are uncertified—no plastic holder from PCGS, NGC, ANACS, etc. You judge from photos, seller notes, and trust signals.
Slabbed coins are sealed in a holder with a third-party grade. Dent Coins focuses on raw and undergraded pieces; DTF is not a replacement for TPG certification.
How the DTF score is calculated
A quick-read confidence score based on photo quality and listing signals.
- Photo quality — focus, resolution, and whether surfaces are readable
- Angle coverage — obverse, reverse, and useful edge/close-ups when provided
- Wear visibility — how clearly high points, luster, and issues can be assessed
- Risk flags — possible cleaning, damage, or artificial toning when visible
DTF and grade ranges are AI-assisted estimates for collectors—not a certificate of authenticity or a guarantee of value.
Tip: better photos usually improve confidence. See the photography guide.