ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Sheldon coin grading scale

Okay kiddo, do you know what coins are? They're round and shiny and we use them to buy things. Now, some people really like coins and like to collect them. But just like how different toys might be worth different amounts of money, some coins are worth more than others.

That's where the Sheldon Coin Grading Scale comes in. It's a way for coin collectors to grade or evaluate how valuable a coin is based on its condition.

So imagine you have two identical toys, but one is brand new and the other one is a little scratched up and dirty. Which one do you think is worth more? Probably the brand new one because it's in better condition, right?

That's similar to how the Sheldon grading scale works. Coins are graded on a scale from 1 to 70, with 70 being the highest and best condition. The more scratches, wear and tear, or other damage a coin has, the lower its grade will be.

So when a coin collector is looking to buy or sell a coin, they'll use the Sheldon grading scale to determine its value. A coin in excellent condition with a high grade will be worth more than the same coin with a lower grade.

Overall, the Sheldon Coin Grading Scale is just a way for coin collectors to talk about how good or bad a coin looks and to decide how much it's worth.