About PMG

Learn why PMG is a leading, trusted third-party grading service for paper money.

Who is PMG?

Paper Money Guaranty™ (PMG®) was founded in 2005 as a fully independent third-party paper money grading service.

With an unparalleleda firm commitment to accuracy, consistency and integrity, PMG is the world’s largesta leading third-party paper money grading service with more than 10,000,000 notes certified. Every note that PMG grades is backed by the comprehensive PMG guarantee of grade and authenticity, which gives buyers and sellers greater confidence.

The American Numismatic Association (ANA), the only numismatic organization chartered by the US Congress, and the Professional Numismatists Guild (PNG) have both named PMG their official paper money grading service.

Scroll further to learn more about the benefits of PMG certification below.

Why PMG Grading?

The establishment of PMG followed the incredible impact that third-party grading had on the coin collecting hobby. The same problems that plagued coin collectors prior to third-party coin grading affected collectors of paper money—without third-party grading, it was easy for sellers to overstate a note’s grade and many counterfeit and altered notes were unwittingly purchased as genuine.

In 2005 PMG was established to provide a fully independent opinion of a note’s authenticity and grade. PMG employs more than 20 full-time note graders as well as outside consultants. To ensure impartiality, PMG and its full-time graders do not buy and sell notes commercially, and strict procedures are in place to prevent consultants from influencing the grades assigned to their own submissions. The combined expertise of the PMG grading team results in unparalleledsuperior accuracy and consistency. The expert and impartial grades assigned by PMG and backed by the PMG Guarantee give buyers and sellers greater confidence, increase liquidity and result in higher prices realized.

Collectors and dealers around the world have embraced PMG certification and, as a result, PMG has become a leading third-party paper money grading service with more than 10 million notes certified. Collectors and dealers around the world have embraced PMG certification and, as a result, PMG has certified more than 10 million notes.

The PMG Grading Scale

PMG grades US and world paper money on the internationally recognized scale of 1 to 70, pioneered by well known numismatist Dr. William Sheldon in 1948. See the PMG Grading Scale >

Some notes have problems such as tears or repairs that result in the note receiving a “Net” grade from PMG. PMG will specifically state the reason(s) why any note is “Net” graded. Only the Genuineness Guarantee portion of the PMG Guarantee applies to notes given a “Net” grade by PMG.

The PMG Guarantee

Every note that PMG certifies is backed by its comprehensive guarantee of grade and authenticity – the strongest guarantee in the industry. This guarantee provides one of several possible remedies in the rare event that PMG certifies a counterfeit or overgrades a note. Read the PMG Guarantee >

Paper Money Graded by PMG

PMG grades most US and world paper money. For a comprehensive list, including types not accepted for PMG grading, click here.

The PMG Holder

The PMG holder is made from the highest-qualityhigh quality, inert materials. The holder’s heavy-gauge material is ideal for long-term storage and with no openings or perforations it guards against environmental hazards and contaminants. In addition, a variety of advanced security features protect against counterfeiting and tampering.

PMG also offers Multi-Note and Custom Holders to showcase multiple notes in a single PMG holder.

Online Resources

PMG provides a suite of free online resources to support collectors and dealers. These include a World Paper Money Price Guide, PMG Population Report showing the relative rarity of PMG-certified notes and the PMG Registry, where you can organize and display your collection as well as compete against other collectors for the best sets.