What does MS stand for?
| Full form | Mint State |
|---|---|
| Category | Sports & recreation |
| Type | Initialism |
The initialism MS stands for Mint State in coin grading. In a label such as MS-64, MS names the grade family and 64 is its numerical designation.
In coin grading, MS labels a Mint State grade for coins. PCGS describes Mint State grades from MS-60 through MS-70. Those numbers are grades, not percentages, prices or mintmarks. Reading a printed grade is different from assigning one to a real coin: a label copied into an example does not authenticate the coin or verify a grading-service record. Keep the service and complete printed designation if you are describing an actual holder.
Meaning in context
- Mint
- Part of the grading expression; MS is not the coin’s mintmark.
- State
- The grade family, with its own numerical scale.
Practical examples
Read the number
- Before
MS-64 means the coin is worth $64.
- After
MS-64 is a Mint State grade designation with numerical grade 64.
The grade label contains no currency amount.
Separate label and verification
- Before
Typing MS-64 into a note verifies the coin is genuine.
- After
The note records a stated grade; authentication requires its own actual evidence.
A transcription is not a grading or authentication service.
Original illustrative examples, not quotations or reports of actual events.
Use MS with clarity
What information does MS-64 provide, and what does it fail to tell me?
See all guidance
Expand the letters
Use Mint State.
MS-64: Mint State, grade 64.
Record a holder label
Preserve the service and full wording.
Record the printed designation separately from any verification.
Discuss value
Do not read a price from the grade number.
Grade 64 is not a price of 64 currency units.
Separate the Mint State label, numerical grade and any independent authentication claim.
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By AcronymIndex Editorial Team · Editorial policy