In the old days of coin collecting, a general coin collector was satisfied by collecting a coin of each type and a variety for his collection. However, the collecting pattern has changed in the last two decades and collectors are now more concerned and choosier about coins they are buying. This sea of change from a gap-filling to a scientific way of collecting coins has come a long way. Earlier when a collector was buying coins, he was merely a coin collector whose idea was to enrich his collection and thereby spend a quality-time with one’s past culture. However, the new breed of collectors is not only concerned about their culture but is also looking forward to a handsome return on their collections in future
Established in 2011, NGS Grading is the premier Grading Agency that strives to regulate numismatic trade and collection by observing stringent grading methods to ensure authenticity and identification of world coins, paper money, Tokens, Medals, Bullion, and collectibles like Post Cards, Lithographs, Autographs, etc.
In the old days of coin collecting, a general coin collector was satisfied by collecting a coin of each type and a variety for his collection. However, the collecting pattern has changed in the last two decades and collectors are now more concerned and choosier about coins they are buying. This sea of change from a gap-filling to a scientific way of collecting coins has come a long way. Earlier when a collector was buying coins, he was merely a coin collector whose idea was to enrich his collection and thereby spend a quality-time with one’s past culture. However, the new breed of collectors is not only concerned about their culture but is also looking forward to a handsome return on their collections in future
Established in 2011, NGS Grading is the premier Grading Agency that strives to regulate numismatic trade and collection by observing stringent grading methods to ensure authenticity and identification of world coins, paper money, Tokens, Medals, Bullion, and collectibles like Post Cards, Lithographs, Autographs, etc.
This calls for an agency that certifies and grades coins just like Diamonds. This agency is called Grading.
No! It is illegal to send any coins out of India on a pretext of Grading. You cannot export Coins and Paper Money that are more than 100 years old, out of India to a foreign country for Grading. Export of Coins and Paper Money can only be done with the written permission from the Director-General of the Archaeological Survey of India, New Delhi. Any Import of coins/notes must be paid with Customs Duty.
Grading is a term applied to the physical condition of coins that come in the hands of collectors and dealers. A coin in various stages of Grading attract different prices. For example, a rare coin in the lower Grade of Fine (F) will fetch Rs. 2,000; but in the higher Grade of Extremely Fine (XF) will be sold for Rs. 10,000. Similarly, the same coin in the highest Grade of Uncirculated state (UNC) will easily get a price tag of Rs. 50,000. Hence the physical condition of a coin determines its market value. This determination of physical condition of a coin is called Grading and is graded as per an internationally accepted Grading Scale.
Coins are graded by an experienced numismatist called Grader. The Grader examines coins and Grades them according to their wear and tear and assigns an Alpha-Numeric Grade, like MS 60. Internationally, up to 3 Graders/Experts are involved in grading a coin. This ensures that no mistakes are made in the process. All the grading calculations are made under 5x magnification under white PL Light.
Authenticity of coins is done by NGS under the 15x magnification under white PL Light. In certain cases, coins are examined with microscope under 200x magnification. In some high-end cases, with prior permission of the customer, coins are also subjected to non-destructive XRF analysis to ascertain metal impurity pattern and compare it with other genuine coins of that type. Apart from above measures, NGS employs some high-tech confidential measures to examine genuineness of coins submitted for NGS grading.
There are many advantages of grading coins:
With the rise of professional grading in last couple of decades throughout the world, collectors are now at ease in buying coins from open market. Earlier, collectors were not sure about the genuineness, grade and proper identification of their coins, which they were buying from dealers. But now Graded coins in Sealed Slabs mean that they are genuine, properly identified and have the exact Grades. All these things are needed by a collector to build a beautiful collection.
Moreover, dealers also get handsome price for their Graded coins since collectors want such Branded Coins from reputed grading agencies. This practice is also evident from coin auctions wherein an open coin fetches much lesser hammer price while the same coin in a Graded Holder fetches a much higher price tag. Hence the new collectors are building Branded Collections of coins based on the Certified Slabs from the NGS Grading.
Grading Scale is an index of measuring a coin's systematic wear & tear while in circulation and later by handling of coin professionals.
Every coin-type wears systematically over a period of time. Similarly, coins in the custody of collectors or with dealers degrade in their physical condition due to a number of reasons like improper handling, poor quality of albums, storing them together in a bag, weather effect, and many more.
This deterioration in the physical condition of a coin is represented by an International 70-Point Scale which was first employed in late 1940s in the USA. Since then, this mode of numerical grades has become the standard of the numismatic industry. This numerical scale is prefixed by a range of adjectives that describe the condition of a coin into 5 different groups. These are P, G, F, AU, and MS.
This Grading Scale evaluates coins on a numerical scale from 1 to 70 with the lowest being P 1 and the MS 70 being the highest grade assigned to a normal circulated coin without any post-production imperfections. Similarly, the same scale is also used for Proof and Pattern Coins. However, in the case of Proof Coins, the grading is described with the prefix PF, like PF 45 or PF 63. The Proof-Like Coins have the prefix/suffix PL and the rest of the concerned grade. In the case of Pattern Coins, the grading is described with the prefix PT, like PT 45 or PT 63.
The coin grading scale used by the NGS Grading is internationally accepted within the international numismatic community since the 1940s. The Grading Scale ranges from 1 to 70, with 1 being the lowest grade and 70 being the top-notch grade for a perfectly minted coin in the most desirable preservation.
Rarity and subsequently the price of coins vary sharply depending on the lower grade to the higher grades. There is a direct ratio of Grades to Price:
The following Grading Table shows the international adjectives and numeric grades adapted by
NGS for coins of the Indian subcontinent also for rest of the world.
| Numeric Grade | Adjective | Adjective Meaning | Adjective Definition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 70 | MS | Mint State (Un-Circulated) | An absolutely perfect coin with mint-lustre. Without any handling marks as seen on a 5x magnification lens. |
| 69 | MS | Mint State (Un-Circulated) | A nearly perfect coin with deep lustre and hardly visible handling marks as seen through a 5x magnification lens. |
| 68 | MS | Mint State (Un-Circulated) | A very sharply struck coin with no traces of wear, and hardly any miniscule imperfections in the fields. Deep and attractive lustre. |
| 67 | MS | Mint State (Un-Circulated) | A sharply struck coin with no traces of wear but only a few imperfections seen in the fields. Eye-pleasing bright lustre. |
| 66 | MS | Mint State (Un-Circulated) | A very well struck coin with deep legends. No traces of wear but with minimal hairlines and/or marks. Absolute lustre. |
| 65 | MS | Mint State (Un-Circulated) | A well struck coin with no traces of wear but with only a few hairlines and moderate marks. Impressive lustre. |
| 64 | MS | Mint State (Un-Circulated) | A better strike with no traces of wear but with several hairlines and other miniscule handling marks on the coin. Exceptional eye-appeal with lustre. |
| 63 | MS | Mint State (Un-Circulated) | An average strike with no traces of wear but with moderate hairlines and abrasions. Attractive eye-appeal with lustre. |
| 62 | MS | Mint State (Un-Circulated) | An average strike with no traces of wear. Diminishing number of hairlines and abrasions. No test marks. |
| 61 | MS | Mint State (Un-Circulated) | An average strike with no traces of wear. Lesser number of hairlines and abrasions. Bright toning. 1 minute Test mark in the field but not affecting legends & motifs. |
| 60 | MS | Mint State (Un-Circulated) | An average strike with no traces of wear. A big number of hairlines and abrasions. With toning. 2 minute Test marks in the field but not affecting legends & motifs. |
| 58 | AU | Almost Un-Circulated | About 10% wear on the highest raised points of coin motifs. |
| 55 | AU | Almost Un-Circulated | About 20% wear on the highest raised points of coin motifs. |
| 50 | AU | Almost Un-Circulated | About 40% wear on the highest raised points of coin motifs. |
| 45 | XF | Extremely Fine | About 60% wear on the highest raised points of coin motifs. |
| 40 | XF | Extremely Fine | About 80% wear on the highest raised points of coin motifs. |
| 35 | VF | Very Fine | About 20% wear on all of the high raised points of coin motifs & legends. |
| 30 | VF | Very Fine | About 40% wear on all of the high raised points of coin motifs & legends. |
| 25 | VF | Very Fine | About 60% wear on all of the high raised points of coin motifs & legends. |
| 20 | VF | Very Fine | About 80% wear on all of the high raised points of coin motifs & legends. |
| 15 | F | Fine | Legends and digits are sharp but recessed areas are slightly soft. |
| 10 | VG | Very Good | Rims and legends are full but wear spread throughout the coin. |
| 6 | G | Good | Rims, legends and digits are soft but distinct from the recessed fields. |
| 3 | AG | About Good | Rims are merging into the recessed field. Most of the legend is readable. |
| 1 | P | Poor | Rims are totally flat. Hardly any details seen to identify the coin's year and type. |
| + | + (Plus) | Exceptional Grade | A coin with exceptional eye-appeal, lustre, or toning is awarded additional + Plus grade along with the concerned numeric grade. |
| DETAILS | Details | Ungraded | DETAILS Grade is appended to non-numeric AU or MS grades for the coin which is harshly cleaned or originally canceled by a Mint. It is encapsulated in a Slab. |
| Genuine | Ungradable | Authentic but ungradable | An original coin removed from a jewellery loop (ex-mount) is not awarded any alpha-numeric grade but is termed as Genuine. |
| No Decision | Not Encapsulated | Unknown | When authenticity of a coin cannot be ascertained, it is returned with the label, No Decision. |
| Not Genuine | Not Encapsulated | Fake | A fake, doctored, altered, or tooled coin is returned with the label, Not Genuine. |
NGS Coin Grading uses two letter alpha-code before a coin’s numeric grade to ascertain
its
method of production, present state of preservation and overall eye appearance
| Code | Strike Type Meaning | Strike Type Definition |
|---|---|---|
| MS | Mint State | MS is applied to the Mint State coins (UNC or Un-Circulated coins). These are minted for general circulation. Applies to grades from 60 to 70. |
| PL | Proof-Like | PL is applied to special edition coins (VIP Sets, Mint Sets). These coins have mirrored fields like Proof coins. Applies only to MS coins. |
| PF | Proof | PF is appended to Proof coins, minted for collectors in limited quantities. Applies to grades from 1 to 70. |
| PT | Pattern | PT is a prototype design of upcoming coins, generally minted in very small numbers for approval. Applies to grades from 1 to 70. |
| Code | Strike Meaning | Strike Definition |
|---|---|---|
| RD | Red | A coin with original red lustre of the mint. Applies only to copper coins. |
| RB | Red Brown | A coin with a combination of red lustre and brown patina. Applies only to copper coins. |
| BN | Brown | A coin with brown patina. Applies only to copper coins. |
| UCM | Ultra Cameo | The fields are deeply mirrored and the motifs are heavily frosted for bold contrast. Applies to PF/PL coins. |
| CM | Cameo | The fields are deeply mirrored and the motifs are frosted for moderate contrast. Applies to PF/PL coins. |
| Restrike | Restrike | A Restrike is a coin re-minted by a Mint using original dies but at a much later date than the original year of minting. Such Restrike coins were officially re-minted by mints by charging a fee from coin collectors. Many times, these Restrike Dies were mix-matched, resulting in Restrike Mules. Applies to MS and PF coins. |
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Service & Charges denote the grading, authentication, and preservation of coins, banknotes, and collectibles at defined fees.
All Grading Tiers include NFC Security Chips & Impact-Resistant Slabs for no additional charges (since 1 January 2025)
| Service | Description |
|---|---|
| Economy ₹ 2,400 | All Coins, Tokens, Medals & Paper Money from ancients to present. No Errors, Mules, Die-varieties, EXPT, OMS, Patterns, Proofs, Specimens, Die-trials, etc. NFC links to the Home Page on website. Maximum value per Item is under Rs. 1 Lakh. |
| Standard ₹ 4,800 | All Coins, Tokens, Medals & Paper Money from ancients to present. Variety+ applies. Errors, Mules, Die-varieties, EXPT, OMS, Proofs are included but NO Patterns, Specimens, Die-trials, etc. NFC links to the Home Page on website. Maximum value per Item is under Rs. 5 Lakhs. |
| Premium ₹ 8,500+ | All Coins, Tokens, Medals & Paper Money from ancients to present. Errors, Mules, Die-varieties, EXPT, OMS, Proofs are included but NO Patterns, Specimens, Die-trials, etc. NFC directly links to the concerned Slab on website. Maximum value per Item is under Rs. 10 Lakhs. |
| Ultra ₹ 17,500+ | All Coins, Tokens, Medals & Paper Money from ancients to present, including Errors, Mules, Die-varieties, EXPT, OMS, Proofs, Patterns, Specimens, Die-trials, etc. NFC directly links to the concerned Slab on website. Value per Item is Rs. 10 Lakhs and above. |
| Add-On Services | Description |
| NGS PhotoPro ₹ 600 | Get high-resolution professional-quality photographs of your coins directly in your Inbox. |
| Label with Name ₹ 300 | Your name or name of your Collection will be added to the Label. Additional charges of Rs. 300/- per label. |
| Customised Label ₹ 600 | Special Customised Label with your Name & Designs will be added. Additional charges of Rs. 600/- per label. |
| Pedigree ₹ 600 | Details about the Pedigree of your Item will be added to the Label. Submit copies of auction lots, plates & sales invoice. |
| Variety+ ₹ 600 | Full Details about the Variety/Error and/or Reference Number of a recognised catalogue will be added. Maximum value per Item is Rs. 1,00,000/-. |
| Re-Grade | Resubmit the Item for review for a higher grade. The Item might get a higher grade but is guaranteed not to receive a lower grade. |
| Cross-Over | You can submit slabs from other grading agencies for NGS grading. The item will get NGS Grade, which can be higher, the same, or lower. |
| Re-Slab | Older/worn slabs of NGS are placed in the latest NGS slabs. |
| Over-size Coin Slab ₹ 1,200 extra | For coins, tokens, bullion, and medals over 42 mm in diameter will be encapsulated in Special Over-size Slabs. |
| Extra Thick Coin Slab ₹ 600 extra | For coins, tokens, bullion, and medals over 3 mm in thickness will be encapsulated in Special Hefty Slabs. |
+ Usual Grading charges plus 1% of Declared value of the item.
* Kindly refer NGS Terms & Conditions
* The charges are inclusive of 18% GST | Shipping & Insurance charges extra
(since 1 January 2025)
| No. | Service Type (Turnaround time in working days) | Max Declared Value per Item | Charges onwards per Item | Total Items | Estimated Charges ₹ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Economy (in 20 days) No Errors, OMS, EXPT, etc. |
Under ₹ 1,00,000 | ₹ 2,400 | x | = |
| 2 | Standard (in 15 days) | Under ₹ 5,00,000 | ₹ 4,800 | x | = |
| 3 | Premium (in 10 days) | Under ₹ 10,00,000 | ₹ 8,500+ | x | = |
| 4 | Ultra (in 7 days) | Above ₹ 10,00,000 | ₹ 17,500+ | x | = |
| Conservation # (in 25 days) | Under ₹ 1,00,000 | ₹ 2,400 | x | = | |
| NGS PhotoPro (in 5 days) | Per Coin | ₹ 600 | x | = | |
| Premium Black Slabs | Per Slab | ₹ 600 | x | = | |
| Re-Slab (in 7 days) | Under ₹ 1 Lakh Above ₹ 1 Lakh |
₹ 1,200 ₹ 1,700 |
x | = | |
| The charges include 18% GST | |||||
| Shipping-Insurance charges extra | E&OE | Total | ₹ | ||
+ Usual Grading charges plus 1% of Declared value of the item.
* Grading: Shipping charges ₹ 100/- per Slab or ₹ 300/- minimum
# Convervation After Conservation of coins, Grading is mandatory for these items. Grading charges extra.
* If NGS feels that an item has been Under-valued by the Customer; the NGS will raise its Declared Value as per current market value and will charge it as per charges of that Service. If the customer is not ready to pay the new revised service charges, the NGS will return the item with Rs. 300/- as handling charges of that item.
* Grading & Service Price List forfeits all other previous lists. All charges are in Indian Rupees and exclude shipping, handling & insurance charges. See detailed chart / website for more information.