Mint State is the condition designation for a coin that shows no trace of wear from circulation. On the 70-point Sheldon scale used by all major coin graders, Mint State covers grades MS-60 through MS-70. The grades within the Mint State band are determined by surface preservation, lustre, strike quality and eye appeal rather than by wear, and the gap between an MS-63 and an MS-65 of the same coin can be a substantial multiple of price.

An MS-70 designation indicates a perfect coin, with no marks or imperfections visible at five-power magnification. MS-70 is rare on classic US silver and almost never awarded on circulating issues older than the early 1970s, since even mint-bag coins of older issues acquired contact marks during shipment.

For coins, mint state is split into eleven tiers from MS-60 through MS-70 by the standard Sheldon scale, with MS-65 representing typical gem uncirculated and MS-70 representing absolute perfection. For trading cards, mint state corresponds roughly to grades 9 and above on most graders’ scales. The strict definition rules out any wear visible under loupe inspection, including the slightest corner whitening or surface scratch. See our grading scale entry for the broader numbering systems.