Basic Things To Know About Ancient Coin Grading And Certification
Coins have been around for almost 3,000 years as a medium of exchange, and their designs have gone through so many transformations, from simple to intricate ones involving animals and mythical creatures. It doesn’t come as a surprise that many would enjoy ancient coin collecting and getting for themselves a part of distant histories.
Image source: SCMP.com
Coin grading and certification are an aspect of this hobby. Did you know that for decades, coin collectors had to count on dealers to tell the coins’ conditions? This was before independent bodies began to certify and authenticate ancient coins; today there’s the Numismatic Guaranty Corp (NGC), for instance, a leading voice in the ancient coin market.
Besides the coin’s overall grade, the NGC also analyzes the strike and surface of a given coin on a five-point scale, provided there are different levels of appearance, design centering, and external damage to the collectibles that may have affected quality over time.
An interesting perspective, however, is that grade could be more important to modern coin collectors than ancient coin collectors, since the dies were hand-engraved and differ considerably, and two ancient coins may be of the same kind and same grade but have different values and prices. It’s also worth knowing that few ancient coins, too, are struck perfectly centered and totally even.
Flaws are typically listed in coin descriptions, so the higher a coin is graded, the bigger responsibility to identify the coin’s specific flaws. Grading standards for ancient coins, too, are usually not as codified as they are for modern coins, with subjective considerations of strike characteristics. When in doubt, it’s best to source from reputable ancient coin sources such as established galleries for professional insight.
Image source: NGCCoin.com
Sadigh Gallery in New York City specializes in the handling and selling of ancient art, artifacts, and coins from all over the world. The family-owned business handles each interaction with their customers with utmost importance. Read more on this page.
