VG (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.
How to read it
Despite the name, very good is a heavily circulated grade. The ANA describes VG 8 as well worn, with major features such as Liberty's head and the wreath visible in outline without center detail and LIBERTY mostly worn away, and VG 10 as even wear throughout, with parts of the rim possibly flat and some letters of LIBERTY readable. NGC's standards have wear throughout the design at both grades, with the letters and digits softer at VG 8. PCGS places very good between good and fine, with slightly more detail than good and usually full rims, except on certain series such as Buffalo nickels. Above VG 10 is F 12; below VG 8 is G 6.
Also searched as: very good, VG 10, VG 8.
Why very good means worn
The names are older than the numbers. PCGS's history of grading says that while the rare coin market was small, three broad terms were enough: good, a coin with most of the detail intact; fine; and uncirculated. Finer terms such as very fine and extra fine emerged as the market grew. On the 70-point scale, very good sits at 8 and 10 out of 70.
More coin grades
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Sources
- ANA Official Coin Grading Standards, Official Coin Grading Standards (money.org), American Numismatic Association, Circulated Coins: 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, Very Good; VG-10
- NGC Coin Grading Scale, NGC Coin Grading Scale (ngccoin.com), Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC), Numeric Grades: VG 10, VG 8
- ANA: Hints for Completing the Scout Coin Collecting Badge, Explore the World of Money: hints for completing the Boy Scout badge requirements (money.org), American Numismatic Association, requirement 3, grading terms
- The PCGS Story: The Importance of Coin Grading, pcgs.com/thepcgsstory (Internet Archive copy of 26 January 2025), Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS), archived by the Internet Archive, history of grading
- CAC Grading Standards, CAC Grading Standards (cacgrading.com), CAC Grading, Numeric Grades: (VG) Very Good (8-10)
Last reviewed September 29, 2026 by Rory Hansen. How we research