On January 1, 2008, NGC expanded its Star Designation to all grades of US coinage up to MS 69 and PF 69. Previously, the Star Designation was limited to coins grading between MS 63/PF 63 and MS 69/PF 69.

The Star Designation is NGC’s unique identifier of coins with exceptional eye appeal or characteristics that distinguish them from other coins of the same technical grade. This does not mean that they just miss the next grade, but it can mean that they verge on the next designation. For example, an untoned PF 65 Cameo coin is not necessarily close to the PF 66 grade, but may be close to an Ultra Cameo designation.
The online NGC Census will show population figures for Star Designated coins on each coin’s respective coin detail page. All Star Designated coins will also be eligible for the NGC Registry where they receive a score premium to recognize their special characteristics.

All uncertified coins submitted to NGC are automatically reviewed for the Star Designation during the course of grading at no additional charge. Coins already certified by NGC may be reviewed for Star Designation under the Designation Review service for $10 per coin.

Synopsis

The NGC Star Designation identifies coins with exceptional eye appeal or characteristics that distinguish them from other coins of the same technical grade. This does not mean that they just miss the next grade, but it can mean that they verge on the next designation. For example, an untoned PF 65 Cameo coin is not necessarily close to the PF 66 grade, but may be close to an Ultra Cameo designation.