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Certified Morgan Silver Dollars
Since Morgan Silver Dollars can come in a variety of conditions, collectors often relay on certified Morgan Silver Dollars to know the exact grade of the coin. As most coin collectors and numismatists know, a coin can widely range from being considered good condition all the way up to brilliant uncirculated or proof, but that's just the beginning of identifying a coin's value.
Dr. William Sheldon was an American psychologist by trade and a numismatist as a hobby. In 1948, Sheldon developed the Sheldon Numeric Scale, which became the foundation of grading and certifying coins. The Sheldon Numeric Scale dictates that a coin's condition can fall between 1 and 70. Before this groundbreaking system, coins were graded mostly by physical appearance and could receive one of three grades.
There are many coin grading agencies out there but only two that are revered worldwide. The Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) and the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) are two companies that issue coins their grades. These companies not only certify coins, but they also encase the graded coin into an official holder, preserving the coin and marking the holder with its earned grade. This alone has changed the coin collecting game, while also offering a peace of mind for collectors and investors.
Most Morgan Silver Dollars were either put into circulation at some point or hoarded by banks, thus receiving bag marks on brilliant uncirculated surfaces. Also, Morgan Silver Dollars are over 100 years old and have been passed through many hands. Some of these hands have improperly cleaned their dollars, in hopes of achieving a better grade but nothing gets past coin grading services. If a coin has been improperly cleaned (which causes a specific type of abrasion), that will be noted on the coin's official certified holder. Investing in Certified Morgan Silver Dollars may increase the value of your collection but you can also feel more confident if you ever wanted to sell your coins.