How to Grade New Zealand Pre Decimal Coins

These grading benchmarks highlight key areas to inspect to help when assessing a coins grade. They are not the only points to consider, but should help if you are trying to grade New Zealand pre decimal coins.

Obverse Grading

King George V (1933–1936)

• Very Good: Parts of the horizontal bands on the crown are visible, and the top curve of the ear shows faintly.
• Fine: Both horizontal bands are distinct, jewels show faintly, and the entire ear is outlined.
• Very Fine: Jewels and the center diamond are clear; the top points of the fleur-de-leis show distinctly.
• Extremely Fine: There is only a trace of wear on the crown's horizontal bands and jewels.
  

George VI (1937–1952)

• Very Good: Top of the ear merges with the head; hair lines are indistinct.
• Fine: Ear is worn but the top curve shows; some hair lines are visible.
• Very Fine: Ear is sharp with little wear; hair lines are distinct and sharp.
• Extremely Fine: Only the slightest wear on the King’s cheek. 

Elizabeth II (1953–1964)

• Very Good: Hair and wreath lines are indistinct with considerable wear.
• Fine: All eleven wreath leaves show, though worn.
• Very Fine: Ear shows faintly (not sharp); some hair lines beneath the wreath are visible.
• Extremely Fine: All details of hair, wreath, and ear show distinctly.

Reverse Grading by Denomination

Halfpenny (1/2d)

• Very Good: Some horizontal wing lines show; the eye merges with the top of the head.
  
• Fine: Wing lines are sharp/clear; some feathers show above/below the wing; the eye does not touch the top of the head.
  
• Very Fine: Small neck feathers are distinct; slight wear on breast/back; wattle folds are worn but distinct.
• Extremely Fine: Only a trace of wear on the bird's back above the wing lines.

Penny (1d)

• Very Good: Tiki figure is considerably worn, but the eyes still show.
• Fine: All tiki detail is clear, though high parts are flat.
• Very Fine: The tiki shows only a trace of wear.
• Extremely Fine: The tiki shows no signs of wear.

Threepence (3d) - Crossed Clubs

• Very Good: Most design detail shows, but ridges on the clubs are flattened.
• Fine: All lines in the clubs show clearly, especially the center part of the right club.
• Very Fine: Ridges on the right club show only slight flattening.
• Extremely Fine: The clubs show no signs of wear.

Sixpence (6d) - Huia Bird

• Very Good: The lower five lines in the bird's tail show distinctly.
• Fine: All horizontal wing lines show above the tail.
  
• Very Fine: Some small feathers show on the upper wing ridge.
• Extremely Fine: Upper wing ridge shows only a trace of wear; the ring around the eye bead is complete.

Shilling (1/-) - Maori Warrior

• Very Good: Most lines in the lower half of the skirt show; the left foot shows faintly.
• Fine: Most lines in the upper half of the skirt show; the left foot is distinct.
• Very Fine: Skirt lines are complete but flattened at three spots on the upper skirt and left foot.
• Extremely Fine: Only a trace of wear on the four high points of the skirt; lines are clear and sharp.

Florin (2/-) - Kiwi

• Very Good: Feathers show on the middle body; eye shows two distinct raised parts.
• Fine: Feathers show on all parts, but wear is visible on the back, neck, and leg.
  
• Very Fine: Feathers are very distinct on all parts with very little wear on high points.
• Extremely Fine: Only the faintest trace of wear; feathers on the crown of the head are distinct.

Half Crown (2/6)

• Very Good: Design is complete, but masks on either side of the shield show wear.
  
• Fine: Lines of the right mask are distinct; left mask lines are blurred..
  
• Very Fine: All grooves in the left mask show distinctly.
• Extremely Fine: Only a trace of wear on the left mask.

Cleaned Coins

The core purpose of grading is to assess how closely a coin has retained its original "mint state" appearance versus the level of wear it has sustained since leaving the mint. It is essential to understand that cleaning a coin typically renders it ungradable because the original surface has been permanently altered. 

If a coin has been cleaned it will likely appear polished or have uneven patina where the cleaning couldn't reach versus where it could (E.g. the fields of the coin versus the fine detail). An uncleaned coin should have a very uniform patina or in higher grades a cartwheel effect; when you rotate the coin under a single light source, the light should appear to "cartwheel" or spin around the surface.

Damage

Damage to a coin such as PVC damage, knocks, scratches, verdigris (on copper) will generally also render a coin ungradable.

In both cases of damage and cleaning, it is common practice to grade the coin then note it is damaged or cleaned. In the case of grading companies they usually denote the is as a "Details" grade.