2001 MAUNDY 3 PENCE  .925 STERLING SILVER PROOF 

COMES IN SEALED CGS SLABBED CAPSULE GRADED CGS 97

PLEASE SEE PHOTOS OF ACTUAL ITEM FOR CONDITION

About the CGS Grading System

Introduction

The purpose of the CGS UK grading system is to offer and make available to the general market for English Milled Coinage an independent assessment of grade, authenticity and attribution (type or variety). The main reason for the creation of the service is to help the collector particularly new collectors to enter the market place with a good degree of the warranty and protection CGS UK encapsulated coins give. The project was two years in the making involving many experts both dealers and collectors, as well as numismatic journalists.

Surprisingly there is no universally accepted bench mark standards for the grading of English coins, by this we mean there is no universally recognized independent publication giving bench marks for the grading of English coins. The broad terms in use (see below) Very Good, Fine, Very Fine, Extremely Fine, and Uncirculated although broadly consistent in the main body of the professional UK dealer and bigger auction houses, are subject to the individual “subjective” opinion of the grader at the time based on his experiences and paradigms. To our knowledge no one refers to any accepted universal guide (as none exists) or retains sets of coins to refer to for consistencies sake. How then has grading been done? Basically the grader looked at a coin and decided based on his experience and memory what grade it is, if he is not sure then a plethora of middle grade attachments and riders are introduced such as about Uncirculated, near to Very Fine, approaching EF, better than Fine, Good Very Fine, BU, Gem, Choice we could go on it seems almost endlessly. The CGS UK system arrives at a numeric grade between 1 and 100 with 100 being absolute perfection. It is not our intention to replace the traditional grading terminology (listed below) but it can easily be argued that once a numerical grade is attached the need for some additional narrative description is superfluous. However CGS UK numerical system will broadly translate as follows.

CGS Grading System

Observed read across grades to other systems 
Based on observations after CGS have graded 25,000 coins 
March 2013

THE COIN GRADING SERVICE

The CGS UK system starts by asking whether the coin is genuine (it may be compared to our extensive library of known forgery types, and weighed) in some cases it may be sent to consultant experts and specialists depending on the coin type. In essence we convince our selves as much as is possible we are dealing with the genuine item. We have to as we offer to pay the full market value to the submitter of any coin we encapsulate which subsequently is proved not to be genuine. We then assess if the coin has been enhanced by artificial toning, tooled, polished, plugged, or whizzed. Coins not passing these two tests are returned to the submitter and do not find their way into CGS UK holders.

Rejected Coins

Coins with significant problems such as scratches and verdigris will fall outside the CGS benchmarking system and a numerical grade cannot be established. Such coins if described by dealers or auction cataloguers would have descriptions such as VF but scratched beneath the bust, EF with verdigris in obverse letters etc. and really need to be seen by potential buyers who can judge for themselves the extent of the problem and decide if they are prepared to have such coins in their collections.

An important advantage and attribute of CGS numerically graded coins is buyers can buy with confidence before viewing and not then be unpleasantly surprised to observe on their coins unexpected problems such as scratches and verdigris.

CGS will reject such coins, they will not have a numerical grade attached, instead they will have the problem described the main ones being;

• Altered – the coin has been rubbed or smoothed to conceal previous damage, or plugged or repaired.
• Bent – the coin is bent, and will not lie flat on a flat surface.
• Cleaned – the coin has been harshly or inappropriate cleaned giving it an abnormal appearance.
• Corrosion – dark corrosion is apparent which CGS believed it to be too problematic and/or potentially still active to be benchmarked.
• Edge Problems – the coin has significant edge knocks or bruises, or evidence of being mounted, or flan cracks at the edge.
• Field Damage – the coin has heavy surface knocks, gouges, attempted and actual unofficial piercings, laminations, flan flaws or other significant problems
• Gilded – the coin has a gold coating which it did not have when it was issued.
• Lacquered – the coin has had a clear chemical coating applied popular practice in the seventies when it was thought to act as a preservation method for lustre.
• Stained – a stain(s) detracts from the coins appearance
• Scratches – the coin has significant scratches and or graffiti
• Verdigris – when a green corrosive residue(s) or unseemly spot(s) are readily apparent.

CGS will encapsulate such coins as they would be gradable in the traditional market but would attract additional descriptions accompanying the grade which describe the problem. The CGS ticket will reflect this and include the main grade F,VF,EF,UNC which CGS consider the coin to be and also a single phrase description the problem. The normal My Page functions will not be available as CGS will not value such coins.

Submitters can decide whether they would like their rejected coins encapsulated or returned un-encapsulated and accompanied by the attribution ticket. 

the item you see is the item you will get....