F (fine)
F stands for fine: a coin with moderate to considerable even wear whose lettering is still clear. It covers two grades on the 70-point Sheldon scale, F 12 and F 15.
How to read it
The grading services describe fine in noticeably different terms. The ANA's standards call F 12 moderate to considerable even wear with the entire design bold, and F 15 moderate even wear with the entire design bold and clear. PCGS is blunter: in these grades most of a coin's detail is worn away, and some remains in the recessed areas, not sharp. NGC's F 15 has slight softness in the recessed areas and F 12 more, with letters and digits sharp in both. The ANA says the lettering and digits should all be clear and crisp from F 12 up. The next grade up is VF 20; below F 12 is VG 10, where NGC has letters and digits showing softness.
Also searched as: F 12, F 15, fine grade.
LIBERTY as a yardstick
On US coins with LIBERTY on a headband or shield, the word tracks the grades around fine. At F 12, the ANA says, all lettering including LIBERTY is visible, though perhaps only parts of the letters; at VG 10 some of the letters are readable, and at VG 8 LIBERTY is mostly worn away. PCGS puts most of the letters of LIBERTY visible at F 15, and a couple of them at VG 8.
Read next
- Next in Coin gradesVG (very good)VG stands for very good: a well-worn coin whose major design is visible but faint in places. It covers two grades on the 70-point Sheldon scale, VG 8 and VG 10.
- The same shape in GD&T symbolsFeature control frameA feature control frame is the rectangular box that carries a GD&T requirement. Read left to right, it gives the characteristic symbol, then the tolerance (with Ø if the zone is cylindrical, and any modifier), then the datum letters in order of precedence.
More coin grades
The same shape elsewhere
Browse symbols drawn with circles, letters and numbers or squares and rectangles.
Sources
- ANA Official Coin Grading Standards, Official Coin Grading Standards (money.org), American Numismatic Association, Circulated Coins: F-15, F-12, VG-10, VG-8
- PCGS Lingo: full listing, PCGS Lingo, full listing (pcgs.com/lingo/ALL; Internet Archive copy of 5 February 2025), Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS), archived by the Internet Archive, Fine; F-15; VG-8
- NGC Coin Grading Scale, NGC Coin Grading Scale (ngccoin.com), Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC), Numeric Grades: F 15, F 12, VG 10
- Understanding Coin Grading Basics, Understanding Coin Grading Basics (ANA blog, blog.money.org), American Numismatic Association, paragraph on F-12 to VF-35
- CAC Grading Standards, CAC Grading Standards (cacgrading.com), CAC Grading, Numeric Grades: (F) Fine (12-15)
Researched, edited and approved by Rory Hansen before publishing. Last reviewed September 29, 2026. How we research
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