So, you want to know how much it costs to get your silver dollar graded? That's a bit like asking how much a good dinner costs; it really depends on the restaurant and whether you're ordering the house special or the lobster. There isn't one flat fee for this particular beauty contest.
The big names in the coin-judging world, like the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS), have a whole menu of options, as their own services and fees page suggests. The final price tag for immortalizing your silver dollar in a plastic slab depends primarily on the coin's value and how fast you want it back. Grading a common Morgan dollar that's been rattling around in a drawer will cost significantly less than grading a super-rare Carson City mint specimen that could pay off your mortgage.
For a standard silver dollar with a value under, say, $400, you can expect the basic grading fee to be in the ballpark of $23 to $45. However, that's just the entry fee to the party. You can't just walk up to PCGS and hand them a coin. You typically need to be a member of their club, which involves an annual fee, or submit your coin through an authorized dealer, who will take their own cut for the trouble.
Finally, don't forget about the thrilling costs of shipping and handling. You'll need to securely ship your coin to the graders and pay for them to ship it back. When all is said and done, after you've paid for the grading, handling, round-trip shipping, and either a membership or dealer fee, the all-in cost to grade one single, common silver dollar often lands somewhere between $50 and $75. It’s the price you pay to have experts officially declare how pretty your coin is.
