Independent Review
Grader A and Grader B form independent opinions. Neither reviewer sees the other’s findings before submission, reducing the influence of an earlier result.
ABOUT CRITERION
Evidence is our standard.
Criterion brings disciplined numismatic judgment, structured evidence, and modern public verification together in one clear certification record.
OUR PURPOSE
Confidence built through visible discipline.
Collectors should not have to choose between respected professional judgment and useful information. Criterion is building a third-party grading model in which authentication, grading, imaging, qualification, and final verification contribute to one understandable record.
The holder is the physical expression of that process. The online certification record gives collectors, dealers, and hobbyists the concise facts they need to evaluate the coin in front of them.
OPENING THE PROCESS IN 2026
The hobby changed. The certification record should change with it.
Third-party grading helped create a common language for numismatics over the last four decades. That foundation matters. It made authentication, consistent descriptions, and sight-unseen commerce more practical for generations of collectors and dealers.
Criterion begins with respect for that progress and a direct question: if the technology, security risks, information available to collectors, and speed of the market have all advanced, why should the certification experience remain limited to a grade on a label?
Opening our process in 2026 gives us the opportunity to design the physical holder and digital record together from the beginning. The result is not technology replacing professional judgment. It is judgment supported by controlled workflow, recorded evidence, independent review, and a public record that can change when a holder’s status changes.
A DIFFERENT MODEL
Professional judgment, supported by a more complete record.
Technology strengthens consistency and access to evidence, but it does not replace trained numismatic review. Criterion uses structured workflows to help qualified people make, verify, and document professional decisions.
Separate Verification
A qualified final reviewer checks grade consistency, qualification, label details, imagery, and the evidence package before certification.
Defined Escalation
Senior finalization is required when grades differ, authentication risk is elevated, or a Qualified Grade needs additional resolution.
Public Context
The public record presents selected evidence, current status, certification details, approved images, and relevant history without exposing private customer data.
THE CERTIFICATION PATH
A controlled process from intake to public verification.
From arrival through final certification, every decision is documented within one controlled record. The result is a clear chain of professional review, evidence, and accountability.
Intake & Identity
The submission, service request, declared coin information, and holder instructions are recorded before examination begins.
Authentication
The coin is evaluated for physical, visual, and diagnostic consistency using methods appropriate to the issue and the level of risk.
Independent Grading
Two graders independently assess condition, surface preservation, strike, luster, eye appeal, and relevant issue characteristics.
Final Verification
A separate reviewer reconciles the complete package and confirms that the label, qualification, imagery, and recorded result agree.
Encapsulation & Imaging
The approved coin is paired with its certification identity, holder information, and approved public imagery.
Public Record
The certification number connects the holder to a current, searchable record designed for comparison at the point of a transaction.
AUTHENTICATION & COUNTERFEIT DEFENSE
Layered examination, not a single test.
No one measurement answers every authentication question. Criterion selects verification methods according to the coin, known risks, and the evidence required for a defensible conclusion.
Specimen Diagnostics
Design details, die characteristics, edge features, surfaces, manufacture, and known issue markers are compared for consistency.
Physical Measurements
Weight, diameter, thickness, and other dimensional observations can be evaluated against the expected specification and tolerance.
Composition Methods
Appropriate non-destructive methods may include specific gravity, conductivity, magnetic response, or other documented testing suited to the coin.
Record Comparison
Approved images, the certification number, holder details, and status help users compare the physical item with the record presented online.
Available tests and the amount of public evidence vary by coin. A public registry match is an important safeguard, but it does not replace inspection of the coin, label, holder, and security features in hand.
CROSSOVERS
A prior opinion is context, not a predetermined result.
Criterion evaluates crossover submissions under the customer’s documented instructions. A prior holder does not automatically establish the Criterion grade, qualification, or authentication outcome.
Where the service permits, customers may state a minimum acceptable outcome. Prior-holder information and approved evidence can be retained in the certification package so the result remains clear and traceable.
- 01Instructions Recorded
The requested service, minimum outcome, and handling preference are established before review.
- 02Independent Evaluation
The coin is assessed under the Criterion standard rather than automatically adopting the prior label.
- 03Outcome Documented
The crossover result, qualification, and approved prior-holder evidence are recorded where applicable.
A LIVING SECURITY RECORD
Certification should continue after encapsulation.
A coin can change hands, be reported missing, be recovered, or be reholdered. Criterion is designed to preserve that context rather than treating the day of grading as the end of the record.
Layered Holder Identity
The certification number, holder serial, randomized hologram code, approved imagery, and future electronic security layers can be checked as distinct parts of one holder identity. No single layer is described as counterfeit-proof.
Live Public Status
A certification can communicate whether its holder is active, under review, reported lost or stolen, recovered, reholdered, suspended, or revoked. A valid-looking label does not override the current online record.
Recovery Assistance
When a Criterion-certified coin is reported lost or stolen, the certification record can preserve its identity and display a public warning. Documented recovery and review can update that status without erasing the history.
The Criterion Vault
Account holders can maintain a private collection view with approved images, certification status, and acquisition context. Saving a coin is separate from Criterion ownership verification and does not establish legal title.
QUALIFIED GRADES
Nuance, clearly communicated.
When a coin’s characteristics require qualification, Criterion identifies the relevant designation in the record. The grade is accompanied by plain-language context rather than hidden behind an unexplained code.
Understand Qualified Grades →DESIGNED FOR THE HOBBY
Concise information for every point of view.
For Collectors
Clear grade context, approved imagery, qualification details, and current certification status support a more informed purchase or collection decision.
For Dealers
Consistent records and direct verification help explain a coin efficiently, compare holder information, and document inventory with greater clarity.
For Hobbyists
Plain-language evidence and educational context make certification more understandable without requiring access to private operational notes.
Coin grading is an expert opinion and remains subjective. Criterion’s structured process is designed to improve independence, consistency, documentation, and transparency while recognizing that qualified professionals may reach different conclusions.