Full Step Jefferson Question

MadMarty

First of all I know nothing about Jeffersons, but I'm tring to learn.

Are these Full Steps? Bear with the pics, they were taken with the home scope and are in 2 shots.



Thanks for the help, I have the chart just haven't quite figured out what to look for yet!

nwcs

I would not consider it full steps. There is some weakness and bridges and not a clear delineated line across each step that is unbroken.

LucyBop

I don't know much about this series, I do have two slab'd full step nickels and the steps are strong and unbroken and easy to see.

tjkillian

If the pictures are the same nickel, I would say no, they are not full steps as the steps have to be complete all the way across.

Tom

MadMarty

It's so hard to tell, that pic is at 60X. When I look under a loupe they go across and there are no gashes on them. Oh well keep looking...

gmarguli

I think it would make FS at PCGS.

baccaruda

marty,

someone posted a diagnostic picture of the steps and what qualifies for what a few months ago. i thought i'd saved it but can't find it.

maybe they'll show up and help out...

littlewicher

60X is overkill. I believe that PCGS checks for full steps under 5X magnification. Post pictures of the steps under 5X.

MadMarty

Here it is under 10X on the scope.

clackamas

I am going to say no, it would not make FS at PCGS. Its close but its one of those just missed. There has to be complete seperation of the steps. Whats the date? The coin you showed is one of those heartbreakers. I feel that if you have that much of the 6th step showing they may give it to you. The picture may also be misleading. There are many FS coins that when you look at them right on they are not FS but when you look from the side they are clearly FS.

NumisEd

Marty, it looks like it was struck over an elongated subway token (your 10X picture). What's the date? If it's a 2002, then keep looking....I found 7 in change today.

MadMarty

It's a 1961-P

clackamas

Marty, considering its a POP of 9 I would give it a shot. The photo may be misleading us and PCGS may be a better judge. However now you know why they are a POP 9 coin because I am sure that was the best coin in the roll.

leothelyon

Ah, someone got an intel play Qx3 microscope for christmas. A great scope for taking big pictures of tiny things. Also a great way to enlarge and represent an area on a coin so everyone can see. The area on the 1961 steps that is not well lit, is due to the angle of the light. Also the height of that 3rd step under the 2nd pillar prevents the light from that lower 4th step. This is a weak area of the steps, very common with dates in the 1960's.

Madmarty,
If you can see step separation in that area and throughout the rest of the steps then I would say you have a very nice full step coin. What does the coin grade? What PCGS thinks about the steps is another thing. It may certify or may not due to that very area in question. The steps on your 61 are far better than
the steps on my 61. Even if PCGS doesn't certify it, that doesn't mean it's not full steps but unfortunately
due to the PCGS hype, it will lose value unless of course you can find a collector who appreciates the coin
for it's own merits. I TTT'd an article over in the US Reg. set forum that show more works with the QX3 scope.

Leo

keets

........there are many dates in the series that are so difficult to find with cleanly struck step lines that the one you have is a keeper no matter how PCGS grades it. i personally don't think they'll designate it FS because it has that area at steps 3-4 that doesn't look unbroken. the detail on the rest of the building seems rather crisp. i always like to be able to see those sidesteps and the posts in the railing atop the building. do us a favor and post a "whole coin" obv/rev picture with the best lighting you can get. nicely struck jefferson's are a sight to see.

al h.

doops

<< <i>........there are many dates in the series that are so difficult to find with cleanly struck step lines that the one you have is a keeper no matter how PCGS grades it. i personally don't think they'll designate it FS because it has that area at steps 3-4 that doesn't look unbroken. the detail on the rest of the building seems rather crisp. i always like to be able to see those sidesteps and the posts in the railing atop the building. do us a favor and post a "whole coin" obv/rev picture with the best lighting you can get. nicely struck jefferson's are a sight to see.

al h. >>


*
HEY AL, LOOKS LIKE ABOUT A 4.2 TO 4.4 ON THE MAKE IT SCALE. WONT DESIGNATE AT P/N OR A. BUT FOR THE DATE IT'S KIND OF LIKE A NEAR CAMEO ON A TOUGH DATE FRANKLIN THAT'S STILL WORTHMORE THAN AN AVG BRILLIANT COUNTERPART OR LIKE A PQ HIGHEND MS65++ MORGAN WORTHY OF A PREMIUM FOR SURE. DONT WASTE THE SLAB MONEY,BUT SOMEONE WILL STILL PAY YOU A GOOD PREMIUM FOR IT FOR DATE CONSIDERATION ONLY

Loki

Hey guys...
What about these steps? It's from a raw 1950-D.

keets

hey lee

those look full but you guys are killing me with these high magnification pictures. one thing i try to do is to look at everything with a low power glass. all i use is a 3X that i can double to 6X, rarely anything higher. i try to consider what the graders will be looking at my coins with.

heres my logic. if i submit a coin that i need a 30X glass to tell FS the grader won't see it with his 7 or 10 or whatever he's using. if i submit a coin that i can see FS easily with my 3X there's every chance he'll see it without a glass.

al h.

Loki

Keets,
Here is the reverse. Looks about 5x normal I guess. Pic is 600x600 ...
(Those $*#$%^# fingerprints aren't mine btw)

ccr

Here`s a good thread where it was talked about with diagrams.

Jefferson fullsteps

keets

hey lee

it looks a bit weak at steps 3-4 but i imagine tilted to catch the light it would appear struck across. as LW said above, 5X seems about right and as luck would have it i went and checked my e-mail and found that there is question about this very topic in the weekly PCGS newsletter which arrived in the last few hours. here's the pertinent Q/A:

QUESTION: Does PCGS always use some sort of magnification
when grading coins?

ANSWER: Depends on the coin and the grader. For example,
I've always had to use a 5 power to grade 3 cent silvers...
they are just way small. And full step Jeffersons... gotta
put a glass on every coin. Some graders use a glass on
almost every coin... some use a glass on 50% of the coins...
some use a glass on 20% of the coins. It depends on what
you're used to and whether you're near-sighted, far-sighted,
or normal-sighted.

i think it's helpful to know how they look at our coins.

al h.

doops

<< <i>Keets,
Here is the reverse. Looks about 5x normal I guess. Pic is 600x600 ...
(Those $*#$%^# fingerprints aren't mine btw)

>>


*
50-D WOULD DESIGNATE BUT TECHNICALLY IT'S NOT A 5'ER. A 4.88 BUT STILL LOOKS GOOD AS THE STANDARDS GO FOR THE SERVICES STANDRADS FOR DESIGNATION.
*
BY THE WAY, FOR CAMEO 65,6,7 SMS NIX IN SOLDI MS65 OR BTR WITH TOTALLY UNMARRED TRUE 5.5+ CLEAR STEPS WITH STRONG HEAVY+ CONTRAST WITH TRUE PROOF MIRRORS I'M PAYING EXTREME MOON MONEY. ONLY A HANDFUL SO IF YOU GOT ONE TRY ME. YOU'D BE SURPRISE AT WHAT I'LL PAY FOR THEM. ONLY HAVE A FEW OF EACH DATE AFTER 25 YRS OF LOOKING AT 100'S OF THOUSANDS OF SMS JEFFS. ALSO ANY OF YOU WHO OWN MS67 OR MS68 CAM,ULTRA OR DCAM SMS JEFF'S WITH 6 FULL. I'M IN.

solid

Hi doops,

That's the first time I've seen anyone else use this icon. I've posted this pic before,
but thought you might be interested to see what the coin looks like close-up.

It is a PCGS 1950-D MS66FS

Ken