The term uncirculated coin can refer to three things:
- A coin that is released to the public but not intended for general circulation (i.e. not used as money although it is still legal tender) but is available through a mint or through a local coin dealer.1
- A coin that has been graded as 60+ on the Sheldon or European grading systems.2
- The process by which a coin is made. The US Mint uses this definition for the coins in the uncirculated coin set that it sells. For these coins, adjustments are made to the minting process which result in a more proof-like finish. These include using a higher force during coining, the use of fresh dies, and special cleaning.3
References
References
- Unser, Darrin Lee (14 May 2019). "2019 Mint Set Purchase Includes Premium Uncirculated 'W' Cent". coinnews.net. CoinNews Media Group LLC. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
- "NGC Coin Grading Scale". ngccoin.com. Numismatic Guaranty Corporation. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
- U.S. Mint. "The United States Mint - The ANA Coin Grading Scale". Archived from the original on 17 October 2012. Retrieved 18 October 2012.