Richard; My Webster New Collegiate Dictionary definition for mint says: 1. "to make (as coins) out of metal". 2. unmarred as if fresh from a mint <coins>. 3. a place where coins, tokens, medals are made. 4. a vast sum or amount. 5. a place where somehting is manufactured. Can you tell me which mint made the chips that are currently under discussion as they certainly don't fit the description for definitions 1,2,3,4.

Richard; My numismatic background tells me that "MS" is an abbreviation for Mint State, and that "mint state" applies to only uncirculated coins between MS 60 and MS 70 grades, (70 being perfect). Everthing below MS60 to MS70 are circulated basal grades....or circulated grades, not "Mint State". So when I see a chip that has minor circulation wear or traces of table dirt and grime, no matter how choice it may look, or how rare it may be, it tells me that it can't be a MS anything.