What is the Standard (Strike Wise) for Grading a Coin.

Fairlaneman

Within a series is the standard for determining the grade of a coin a fluctuating item ? Certainly there are examples within all series that are know to have weak strikes and the Grading Services know this and usually the coins are graded with this in mind.

What brought this to mind, again this morning, was when I was viewing a coin for possible purchase and then noticed the strike was horrible. Not horrible for the date, but horrible for the way the strike was intended to be when the series was introduced.

Below is a example of what I am talking about. The 20P is a 65 coin with a full strike and the 36S is a 67 coin with many details missing from the original design most noticably in the hair detail and the olive branches on the right side of the reverse. Personally I cannot see how the 36S warrants the 67 grade with details missing as this coin shows. 65, yes, 66, maybe, 67, no way.

If anyone can enlighten me on how this happens, please do. My only thought is maybe I pay to much attention to the coins strike.

Thanks in advance.

Ken

coinnerd

The mint during the depression did not recut the master die. This caused what you call lack of detail in the hair of Liberty. (Compare BU Lincoln cents from the mid 60-s to todays) The 36-s is a full strike because all the details from the die are on the coin. The detail you want to see was never even on the die. The 36-s looks like a great coin to me.

Hope this helps some.
Dave

FC57Coins

Ken:

As coinnerd mentions, I think the problem is in the re-cutting of the master die. The same thing happened in the Franklins series, whereby the definition of the coin was greatly diminished by the late 50's. This is taken into account when grading, as there are no examples of fully defined pieces for the later years. Below are examples of MS66FBL's from the begining of the series and from later.

Frank

coinguy1

Fairlaneman,

I believe that the major grading services consider both the strike of a coin relative to a theoretically perfectly struck example, BUT / AND also consider each individual issue and its typical characteristics.

For instance, many 1941-S Walkers are weakly or even poorly struck, relative to P and D-mint issues from that era. Consequently, the best struck 1941-S's will not compare favorably with many P and D-mint pieces. A virtually flawless 1941-S with good luster, eye appeal, etc. can therefore receive an MS66 or 67 rating, despite a less-than-full strike. Poorly struck ones, on the other hand, are downgraded accordingly.

There are other Walkers and several Buffalo nickel issues that rarely, if ever, come with strikes as nice (compared to a theoretically fully struck example of that type) as that seen on the 1936-S Mercury dime you posted. That is definitely factored in to the grading of those issues. In other words, allowances are made for each particular issue within a given series.

What I have mentioned above is reality. There are some numismatists, however, who believe that if a particular issue does not come fully struck, no leniency should be given and that perhaps, no examples of that particular issue should receive high grades. Practically speaking, that is not the way it is done, however.