This guide could be used as a foundation to grade most ancient coins on the internet. I created this guide after reviewing Alexander the Great Tetradrachm coins on Ebay and noticed over 75% were highly over graded. This guide should help collectors better understand how to grade coins and avoid spending beyond what a coin is worth.  Be very leary buying an overgraded coin, the coin in hand could be worse!

Here are some pictures and Grading for these coins

MS - Mint State No! Wear - Perfect in every way!

(Searchcing for picture)

--------------------------------------------

EF - Extremely Fine  Very minor wear affects only on the finest details of the highest points. Every detail, every hair in the beard, everything!! must be sharp.

--------------------------------------------

VF - Very Fine Wear shows on fine details but all elements of the design  are complete

--------------------------------------------

F - Fine  Wear erases some details but major design elements are completely outlined and retain some detail

--------------------------------------------

VG - Very Good/ Fair Major devices (e.g. portrait) are indicated by a complete outline but little detail remains inside that outline

--------------------------------------------

G - Good  Major device outlines are mostly complete with no details.

--------------------------------------------

Fr - Fair / Mediocre Major devices partially indicated. With luck, portraits will be recognizable by veteran collectors

--------------------------------------------

Pr - Poor A slick slug with almost no detail - identifiable by chance or when the other side of the coin is a higher grade.

(Image will be as above but without any detail)

--------------------------------------------