Beginners guide to collecting currency

Step 2 Know your facts

Before going out and purchasing currency, be sure to know all of your facts. Some dealers may try to overcharge, while others do not. To determine what you should be paying for currency, you will need to know the grading system. To determine what you should be paying for a note, you can look in The Official Red Book, or similar books. You can also check auction sites such as ebay.

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Grade | Numeric rating | Description

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Gem Uncirculated | Unc-65 | A note that is flawless.
Choice Uncirculated | Unc-63 | Almost as nice as Gem Uncirculated, but not quite there.
Uncirculated | Unc-60 | Retains its original crispness. It may show signs of improper handling.
About Uncirculated | AU-50, AU-55 and AU-58 | Appears new but shows very slight signs of use.
Extremely Fine | EF-40 and EF-45 | Shows some faint evidence of circulation.
Very Fine | VF-20, VF-25, VF-30 and VF-35 | A note that has been in circulation, but not for long.
Fine | F-12 and F-15 | A note that shows much evidence of circulation.
Very Good | VG-8 and VG-10 | A note that shows considerable wear or circulation.
Good | G-4 | A note that is badly worn.

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If you send your currency off to a third party company to be graded, be sure to send it to a reputable company such as PMG.

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