Paper Money Grading Guides (No Fluff)
Practical, step-by-step guides to help you grade paper money with confidence. Whether you're new to the 1-70 scale or refining your eye for centering and folds, our articles cut the fluff and give you repeatable methods.
Browse by topic
Grading Basics
The scale, the language, and how to avoid beginner mistakes.
TOPICFolds & Paper Quality
Fold count, handling, limpness, and why “one fold” isn’t always equal.
TOPICEye Appeal
Centering, margins, and what buyers notice instantly.
TOPICErrors & Varieties
What’s real, what’s hype, and how to sanity-check an “error note.”
Latest articles
Paper Money Grading Scale: The Numbers, The Names, The Reality
A simple mental model for 1–70, what “EPQ/PPQ” actually signals, and the fastest way to stop overgrading your own notes.
How to Count Folds Without Fooling Yourself
Creases vs. bends vs. corner folds—plus a quick inspection routine you can do in under 60 seconds.
Centering: What Actually Matters (and What Doesn’t)
Why two notes with the same folds can sell wildly differently—and how to judge margins consistently.