What is a “Good” Coin?

Coin collectors often use adjectival grading parlance when discussing the condition of a coin, and one of the most widely sought grades are those grading “Good.” For generations, Good was widely viewed as the lowest-collectible grade that most numismatists sought for coins minted after the early 1800s. However, in recent years as low ball collecting has come into vogue (where collectors seek coins in the lowest possible grades, such as Poor-1 and Fair-2) this isn’t necessarily the case anymore. Still, Good is the lowest grade threshold that many collectors seek for older coins collected by type as well as key-date rarities in vintage series, such as the 1909-S VDB Lincoln Cent, 1916-D Mercury Dime, and 1916 Standing Liberty Quarter.

PCGS subdivides the overarching grade of Good into two primary grading levels: G4 (Good-4) and G6 (Good 6). PCGS also describes these grades this way: “The adjective corresponding to the grades G-4 and G-6. Coins in these grades usually have little detail but outlined major devices. On some coins, the rims may be worn to the tops of some letters.” These are the official PCGS definitions of G4 and G6 per the PCGS Grading Standards hub:

• G-4 – Rims mostly full but may be flat or slightly worn into peripheral letter[s] in spots.
• G-6 – Rims and peripheral lettering full but design now flat and visible only in outline form.

These are general grading guidelines for coins that qualify for the G4 and G6 grades, and this information applies to all coins. However, there may also be specific criteria that pertains to certain coin types, with grading pickup points or caveats hingeing on particular design nuances or striking quirks that affect how the grade is perceived for each coin. You can learn much more about these caveats and much more information by visiting PCGS CoinFacts, where you can research in-depth grade and attribution details, pricing data, and much more about the coins of your choosing.