I would like to thank CAC for posting the Franklin FBL grading criteria online

BECOKA · April 8, 2009 6:44AM

Their website is actually turning out to be useful. They posted their grading criteria for Franklin Full Bell Lines and I hope more articles like this are to come.

Here is the link: Franklin FBL Criteria

I think this was well defined and I like that they show and discuss things like how a photo of the bell lines may seem like it is not FBL and how it actually is.

tahoe98 · April 8, 2009 6:56AM

<< Their website is actually turning out to be useful. They posted their grading criteria for Franklin Full Bell Lines and I hope more articles like this are to come.

Here is the link: Franklin FBL Criteria

I think this was well defined and I like that they show and discuss things like how a photo of the bell lines may seem like it is not FBL and how it actually is. >>

..........i'm wondering if they'll do full bands, full heads etc. down the road? quite helpful, ben, thanks!

PawPaul · April 8, 2009 9:13AM

Beco-

glad you value the criteria and appreciate the effort that went into establishing those guidelines .

Most saw fit to bash and mimic the photo's

........I have no doubt CAC and Mr. Lewis thank you for your kind words

mrearlygold · April 8, 2009 9:46AM

Franklinwho · April 8, 2009 9:49AM

Thank you so much for posting this link. It will really help me out!!!

TwoSides2aCoin · April 8, 2009 9:53AM

For all the dust I stir up...
I've known about a couple insider's integrity, all along.

PawPaul · April 9, 2009 9:58AM

dust settles and glistens in the sunlit morning dew

Kdog08 · April 9, 2009 11:24AM

Sooooo......CAC is looking at FBL pretty much the same as PCGS and not NGC then yes????

BECOKA · April 9, 2009 11:42AM

<< Sooooo......CAC is looking at FBL pretty much the same as PCGS and not NGC then yes???? >>

How does NGC look at FBL? Did they post their criteria?

WoodenJefferson · April 9, 2009 1:58PM

<< 

<< Sooooo......CAC is looking at FBL pretty much the same as PCGS and not NGC then yes???? >>

How does NGC look at FBL? Did they post their criteria? >>

NGC has never openly published guidelines to just what constitutes Full Bell Lines on Franklin half dollars, but it is commonly thought that the stricter criteria, both sets of lines, must be full and complete, whereas PCGS is just looking at the bottom set of lines. There is so much leeway between the services on this designation it seems to float from coin to coin, grader to grader.

bushmaster8 · April 10, 2009 1:16AM

<< Sooooo......CAC is looking at FBL pretty much the same as PCGS and not NGC then yes???? >>

Yes.

<< NGC has never openly published guidelines to just what constitutes Full Bell Lines on Franklin half dollars, but it is commonly thought that the stricter criteria, both sets of lines, must be full and complete, whereas PCGS is just looking at the bottom set of lines. There is so much leeway between the services on this designation it seems to float from coin to coin, grader to grader. >>

Also correct.

mumu · April 10, 2009 1:34AM

Coins 9 and 10 look more FBL than coin 11 to me. The bottom ridge of the BLs in 11 looks awful and chopped up.

Kdog08 · April 10, 2009 1:56AM

Just like FBL...the world may never know!

bushmaster8 · April 10, 2009 1:59AM

On coin 9, there is actually a lot more going on than you can see in the pic. As the caption alludes to, there is some rather severe scraping across the Bell lines that kills it.

Remember, these coins were originally provided to CAC so that the CAC graders would have an "in hand" set to refer to. The posting of the set online as an educational tool was an afterthought. So the pics do have some limitations.

On coin 11, there is a long die crack running lengthwise thru the lower line, which gives it a somewhat broken appearance. But the important thing is, the "valley" between the lines is unbroken.

leothelyon · April 10, 2009 5:34AM

So....all I need to do is locate a Benjamin Franklin half with full bell lines and I'll have a winner......correct? Or is there more to it?

It's interesting to note that the only coin labeled with having full bell lines, the last coin dated 1959, also has the weakest strike among all of the examples given. What does that tell you?

leo

PawPaul · April 10, 2009 7:09AM

R. Tomaska , for example - believes the entire coin should be well struck to receive the FBL designation ....

others on these boards have commented they would like to see the obv. wisps of hair , the pass & stow , etc ........

before rendering their opinion as to whether a particular coin has FBL's .

Myself .............i feel the question is specifically about the bell line's ;

the rest of the coin : it's strike, luster, surfaces and grade are irrelevant .

until PCGS and NGC commit to publish pictorial standards there will be no end in sight

to the FBL mess

Kdog08 · April 11, 2009 4:19AM

<< R. Tomaska , for example - believes the entire coin should be well struck to receive the FBL designation ....

others on these boards have commented they would like to see the obv. wisps of hair , the pass & stow , etc ........

before rendering their opinion as to whether a particular coin has FBL's .

Myself .............i feel the question is specifically about the bell line's ;

the rest of the coin : it's strike, luster, surfaces and grade are irrelevant .

until PCGS and NGC commit to publish pictorial standards there will be no end in sight

to the FBL mess >>

JJM · April 11, 2009 4:23AM

interesting stuff,..........still leaves things just as
debateble in my eyes than before I reviewed it.
FBL's will always be tricky little buggers..........

PawPaul · April 11, 2009 9:16AM

the Franklin collectors and investors existed quite well before the TPG's decided to cash in on the FBL designation -

and the Franklin market will continue should the FBL designation become irrelevant

I would like to thank CAC for posting the Franklin FBL grading criteria online

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