Should The Grading Services Add This Designation

wondercoin

I believe a new designation should be adopted by the grading services for Liberty Nickels - namely "FULL STRIKE". Coins which display a full overall strike, including fully struck obverse stars and well defined left reverse "corn" should achieve this designation. Collecting a set of FULL STRIKE Liberty Nickels would be very challenging and, I suspect, highly popular, along the same lines as Jefferson Nickels with their "FULL STEPS".

Any support for the designation among the Liberty Nickel collectors, or other numismatists out there?

Wondercoin

kieferscoins

No. Even if it is only for one series, I think it should not be used. Too objective, and not clearly defined like "full bands" or "full head". Liberty Nickel collectors may disagree, but I don't think it should be used.

Cameron Kiefer

wondercoin

"Too objective"

Do you mean too subjective?

Wondercoin.

kieferscoins

Yes, that was what I meant. Sorry, wrong word.

Cameron Kiefer

coinguy1

Mitch,

While in theory, your suggestion makes sense, unfortunately, practically speaking, it would just give everyone another designation/attribute to disagree over. And, the strike should be taken into consideration when assigining a grade to the coin anyway.

Typetone

Mitch:

As a sophisticated Lib 5c collector I do not support the idea. The problem with any of the strike designations is that they focus attention on one area of the coin and not the strike in general. This tends to create price distortions. FBL Franklins are a good example. Fully struck bell lines could still have other weak areas. A coin with an overall better strike could have bell line weakness and trade for only a fraction of the first. I saw this problem with Franklins and chose to sell my entire collection over this issue. I have heard the same complaints with FB Mercury Dimes.

You might say that you are proposing only Lib 5c with a full strike everywhere get the designation. Maybe, but that should be redundant. Strike should already be a factor considered in grading the coin.

Finally, sophisticated collectors of this and other series already value good strikes and generally pay more to get those coins. Most of my Lib 5c are fully struck. So, short term it might be financially beneficial to do what you are proposing, but long-term, by distorting prices, I think it would be detrimental to the series and its collectors.

Greg

wondercoin

Mark & Greg: Good points.

Greg: From your discussion, I take it you would abolish all designations (or never would have had them in the firstplace)? Of course, the same arguments you make against a designation for Lib nickels are the arguments for having no FBL designation, or even FS designation.

The reality is many 20th century series have designations and the sets are immensely popular, such as FH SLQ's. Maybe giving Lib nickels a FULL STRIKE designation would "commericalize" the series too much. No doubt "investors" might flock in to buy up the FS coins. I can see the point of simply leaving the status quo and having astute collectors pursue the fully struck coins anyway.

Wondercoin.

Typetone

Mitch:

You are correct, I do not like the current strike designations. Should never have been done in the first place. HOwever, for those that we have now, we probably need to keep. I think it would upset things more to change in midstream. Imagine if PCGS stopped recognizing FBL. There would be numerous arguements comparing older graded FBL pieces with newer graded pieces.

I would however, and have, recommended reducing the strike designation effect in the registry. Instead of a two point deduction for no designation, I have suggested a 1/2 point deduction. However, it seems like David Hall and PCGS have gone the other way, and have progressively increased the deduction for no designation. It would be interesting to argue about the reasons they have made these decisions and the interests involved.

Cheers

Greg

DAM

Hmmm, going to have to jump on the "nay" bandwagon on this one. I believe there's justification to add a premium to a piece that's fully struck, but, i don't feel a designation is necessary.

Raises the question of FT (Full Thumb) on Walkers.

Just another way of generating higher prices, IMHO.

keithdagen

Greg,

I agree with you, and SLQ's are a better example. How many FH coins, which garner a significant premium, are well struck? Few, because you can count on two or three rivets near the sash being weakly struck, or non-existent. And if you find full rivets, the head may not be full, so finding both on a piece is extremely hard, and without both, the coin is not fully struck up as intended.