{"id":248638,"date":"2026-10-09T15:15:52","date_gmt":"2026-10-09T13:15:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rarecoin.store\/what-does-the-plus-mean-in-the-grading-of-a-coin\/"},"modified":"2026-10-09T15:38:19","modified_gmt":"2026-10-09T13:38:19","slug":"what-does-the-plus-mean-in-the-grading-of-a-coin","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/rarecoin.store\/en\/what-does-the-plus-sign-mean-in-a-coins-grading\/","title":{"rendered":"What does the plus sign mean in a coin&#8217;s grading?"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>.kb-image248632_05d7ad-98 .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}<\/style>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image248632_05d7ad-98 size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/rarecoin.store\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Was-bedeutet-das-Plus-beim-Grading-einer-Muenze-1-1024x576.png\" alt=\"Professor Cooper, ein schwarzer Labrador im dunkelblauen Pullover, sitzt am Schreibtisch und zeigt auf einen Laptop mit einem Videoanruf und einem Centenario 1927 in PCGS MS63+, daneben die Sprechblase mit der Frage nach dem Plus beim Grading (KI-Illustration)\" class=\"kb-img wp-image-248631\" srcset=\"https:\/\/rarecoin.store\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Was-bedeutet-das-Plus-beim-Grading-einer-Muenze-1-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/rarecoin.store\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Was-bedeutet-das-Plus-beim-Grading-einer-Muenze-1-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/rarecoin.store\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Was-bedeutet-das-Plus-beim-Grading-einer-Muenze-1-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/rarecoin.store\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Was-bedeutet-das-Plus-beim-Grading-einer-Muenze-1-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/rarecoin.store\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Was-bedeutet-das-Plus-beim-Grading-einer-Muenze-1-600x338.png 600w, https:\/\/rarecoin.store\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Was-bedeutet-das-Plus-beim-Grading-einer-Muenze-1.png 1672w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>Professor Cooper explains what the plus sign in a coin&#8217;s grading means.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <strong>&#8220;+&#8221; in a grading<\/strong> is an suffix after the grade, such as <strong>MS63+<\/strong> or <strong>PF65+<\/strong> . The two major grading companies, PCGS (Professional Coin Grading Service) and NGC (Numismatic Guaranty Company), award it to coins that are among the better examples within their grade. Both companies only allow the &#8220;+&#8221; designation in grades from XF 45 to 68.  <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hello, this is Professor Cooper. \ud83d\udc3e A while ago, we had a Mexican Centenario from 1927 in the shop. Its PCGS label read MS63+. I wanted to know what this little cross means and whether it changes the coin&#8217;s value. So I looked up what PCGS and NGC themselves have to say about it.    <\/p>\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What does the plus sign indicate about a coin?<\/h4>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At <strong>PCGS,<\/strong> the plus sign denotes coins that appear particularly beautiful in their design. According to PCGS, nearly a third of the coins in a denomination belong to this group. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>NGC<\/strong> interprets the plus sign as indicating that a coin is just below the next higher denomination. Good technique alone isn&#8217;t enough; the coin must also be visually superior. NGC doesn&#8217;t charge extra for the plus sign; the graders apply it as part of the standard process.   <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Important for understanding: An MS63+ is officially an MS63. The plus sign is not an intermediate grade like 63.5, and it doesn&#8217;t turn the coin into a 64. You can compare it to school grades in Germany. A 2+ on a test remains a 2, but it shows the student that they were close to a 1. Similarly, the plus sign on the label indicates that this coin is at the upper end of its grade range.   <\/p>\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">In which grades do PCGS and NGC award a plus?<\/h4>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">PCGS and NGC have defined the same range. The plus sign is only used for <strong>XF 45 to 68<\/strong> , both for Brilliant Uncirculated (MS) and Proof (PCGS &#8220;PR&#8221;, NGC &#8220;PF&#8221;). <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">PCGS lists the individual levels in detail. They are 45, 50, 53, 55, 58, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, and 68. It is noteworthy that the grades 60 and 61 are missing. Neither company awards a positive rating for grades 69 and 70.  <\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th><\/th><th>PCGS<\/th><th>NGC<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Grade range for the plus<\/td><td>XF 45 to MS\/PR 68<\/td><td>XF 45 to MS\/PF 68<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>What the plus sign means<\/td><td>especially beautiful coins of the note, almost a third<\/td><td>Just below the next highest grade, visually above average<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Unique symbol for visual effect<\/td><td>none on the PCGS sheet music page<\/td><td>Star (\u2605)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is the difference between Plus and Star?<\/h4>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In addition to the plus sign, NGC also uses the <strong>star (\u2605)<\/strong> . The star highlights coins that are exceptionally beautiful for their denomination. Both symbols can appear on the same NGC label. NGC shows a 1796 quarter in NGC MS 67+\u2605 as an example.   <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">PCGS does not list a star on its rating page. The visual effect is already factored into the positive rating. <\/p>\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">An example from our shop: Centenario 1927 in PCGS MS63+<\/h4>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/rarecoin.store\/en\/buy-precious-metal-coins\/centenario-1927-gold-coin-50-pesos-pcgs-ms63\/\">1927 Centenario 50 Peso coin in PCGS MS63+<\/a> fineness clearly demonstrates where the plus sign truly matters. Classic Centenario coins are often traded in medium uncirculated condition. In this range, two coins can bear the same number on the label and still appear different. The plus sign makes this difference visible to the buyer. The PCGS certificate number for this coin is 40982424.<\/p>\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Is a coin with a plus sign worth more?<\/h4>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A coin with a plus sign can be valued higher on the market than a coin of the same denomination without a plus sign. The size of this difference can vary considerably depending on the series and year of issue. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For modern gold coins in PF69 or PF70, the plus sign is irrelevant, as it doesn&#8217;t exist in these denominations. However, for classic coins in medium denominations, a close look at the label is highly recommended. My opinion, as someone with a keen sense of smell: the plus sign is an honest indication from the graders, but it doesn&#8217;t replace the coin&#8217;s own appearance. Ultimately, visual appeal is a matter of taste, and every collector has their own preferences.   <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For a more detailed understanding of the differences between adjacent grades, see <a href=\"https:\/\/rarecoin.store\/en\/what-is-the-difference-between-ms64-ms65-and-ms66\/\">What is the difference between MS64, MS65, and MS66?<\/a> I explain how the two grading companies differ overall in <a href=\"https:\/\/rarecoin.store\/en\/collectors-question-ngc-or-pcgs-which-grading-company-is-better-for-gold-coins\/\">NGC or PCGS: Which Grading Company is Better for Gold Coins?<\/a> <\/p>\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Frequently asked questions about the Plus in grading<\/h4>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Is MS63+ the same as MS64?<\/strong><br\/>No. An MS63+ is an MS63 that is among the better coins within this denomination. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Are there MS69+ or PF70+ options?<\/strong><br\/>No. PCGS and NGC only award the Plus rating for XF 45 to 68. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Does the NGC Plus cost extra?<\/strong><br\/>No. NGC awards the Plus grade in its normal grading without an additional fee. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Does PCGS also have a star?<\/strong><br\/>There is no star designation on the PCGS grade page. The star (\u2605) is awarded by NGC. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Professor Cooper \u2b50<\/p>\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sources<\/h4>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>NGC: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ngccoin.com\/news\/article\/7501\/learn-grading-plus-and-star\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Learn Grading: Plus and Star<\/a> , published on June 11, 2019<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>PCGS: <a href=\"https:\/\/auth.pcgs.com\/grades\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">PCGS Grading Standards<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>RareCoin.Store: <a href=\"https:\/\/rarecoin.store\/en\/buy-precious-metal-coins\/centenario-1927-gold-coin-50-pesos-pcgs-ms63\/\">Centenario 1927 Gold Coin 50 Pesos PCGS MS63+<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>About the author<\/strong><br\/> Larissa Wasserthal, TriaPrima GmbH \/ Wasserthal RareCoin.Store. The texts in the &#8220;Collector&#8217;s Questions&#8221; series are narrated by Professor Cooper. Cooper is our store&#8217;s black Labrador and the mascot of our knowledge pages. The content is written and reviewed by Larissa Wasserthal.   <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Content and sources last checked: October 9, 2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The &#8220;+&#8221; in a grading is an suffix after the grade, such as MS63+ or PF65+ . The two major grading companies, PCGS (Professional Coin Grading Service) and NGC (Numismatic Guaranty Company), award it to coins that are among the better examples within their grade. Both companies only allow the &#8220;+&#8221; designation in grades from&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":49,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-248638","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"taxonomy_info":[],"featured_image_src_large":false,"author_info":{"display_name":"Larissa Wasserthal","author_link":"https:\/\/rarecoin.store\/en\/author\/larissa_wasserthal\/"},"comment_info":0,"permalink_manager":null,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rarecoin.store\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/248638","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rarecoin.store\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rarecoin.store\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rarecoin.store\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/49"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rarecoin.store\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=248638"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/rarecoin.store\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/248638\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":248639,"href":"https:\/\/rarecoin.store\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/248638\/revisions\/248639"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rarecoin.store\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=248638"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}