Here is a scale to help identify the condition of your coin:
Poor or Basal (P – 1)
The coin must be identifiable, have a mintmark and a date, otherwise the coin is pretty much worthless. Usually the coin is just barely identifiable or has a lot of damage which make them poor or basal.
Fair (FR – 2)
Fair coins are usually very smooth like poor coins but do not contain heavy damage.
About Good (AG – 3)
About good is slightly better than fair coins and the date is hard to read but even the major details are worn down or nearly removed from the coin due to wear.
Good (G – 4)
Good coins have heavy wear but you can still see the date. Usually the date is worn down or merges with the rim of the coin. The major details are also smoothed out or mostly gone.
Very Good (VG – 8)
Coins in very good condition have heavy wear on them but the major details are more visible. The central details are still worn down and barely existing.
Fine (F – 12)
Fine coins still contain a lot of wear but the overall design is bold and clear. Also, the rims of the coins are nearly separated as well.
Very Fine (VF – 20)
A Very Fine coin grade indicates that the rims are clear and much of the wording is clear. There is moderate wear to the coin and the finer details are beginning to appear.
Extremely (Extra) Fine (EF – 40)
A grade of Extra Fine or Extremely Fine is given to a coin with very little wear and much of the major and minor details are clear and bold.
About Uncirculated (AU – 50)
A coin that is about or nearly uncirculated has very little wear but may have contact marks or scratches from other coins that came in contact or from the machines. AU-50 is not a very appealing coin but it is still nearly uncirculated.
Very Choice About Uncirculated (AU – 58)
A Choice About Uncirculated coin is much like the AU-50 variety but has almost no contact marks, there almost full luster and the coin is visually appealing.
Uncirculated – Mint State Basal (MS – 60)
These coins are uncirculated but usually have a lot of ugly contact marks and scratches usually resulting from wear and tear of flowing through the machines at the mint. There is almost no luster and the coin is not visually appealing, but it is still uncirculated.
Choice Brilliant Gem Uncirculated (MS – 65)
A choice brilliant uncirculated is a coin with nearly full luster; almost no contact marks and is highly appealing with a great strike at the mint.
Premium Quality Mint State Uncirculated (MS – 68)
These are highly attractive coins with a sharp strike. Premium Quality coins have a perfect luster and there are no visual contact marks to the naked eye.
All But Perfect Mint State Uncirculated (MS – 69)
An all-but-perfect coin is highly appealing visual and has a perfect luster and perfect strike. The only thing that makes this coin not perfect is that there are microscopic flaws in the magnitude 8x range that include either contact marks or flaws in the planchet that the coin was struck on.
Perfect (MS – 70)
A Perfect coin of the mint state uncirculated type is totally flawless even on the microscopic scale up to a magnification of 8x. The coin is also perfectly centered with full, highly appealing original luster. A perfect coin is also struck sharply on a flawless planchet. These are some of the most valuable and sought-after coins for collectors and numismatists.