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We send thousands of coins to PCGS for collectors. (Click here to see how.) A small minority of the coins are rejected by PCGS because of “damage”. A question that we often receive relates to how a mint condition coin that is fresh from a roll can be considered “damaged” if it hasn’t been in circulation.

A rejected 1972 twenty cent. Can you see why PCGS rejected it?

Introducing coin roller damage

When a coin is rolled by a bank or a private security company, the mechanical process of folding the ends of the roll paper can result in damage to the coins. The damage appears as concentric circular scratches on one side of the coin (and only on one side). When PCGS sees this sort of damage on a coin, they will describe the coin as “damaged”, and may add a reference to a “Wrapping machine”.

Coin roller damage on some coloured two dollar coins.

Collectors are often surprised when they receive a damaged coin that was from a brand new mint roll, but this sort of coin damage is a normal part of the cash handling process, and is frequently seen on coins new and old. Naturally, damaged coins are worth less than undamaged coins, so make sure to look at your coins before submitting them to PCGS and don’t assume that all coins from mint rolls will make high PCGS grades!

The tragic appearance of coin roller damage on a 2000 one dollar mule.

The coin roller was particularly damaging in the year 2000, it seems.

Not all coin roller damage is circular.