Mercury Pix, Full Split Bands, Split Bands and Flat Bands

LanLord

Here is a Mercury dime reverse with Full Split Bands - well defined split and rounded bands


Here is a Mercury dime reverse with Split Bands - well defined split but bands are flattened


Here is a Mercury dime reverse with Flat Bands - bands merged into a single band - no defined split


My question, define this one:

coppercoins

Technically it's FB. The technicality that creates the bands is strike, and that's what is being judged. The strike is complete enough to fill the highest relief of the split, so it's FB. Big HOWEVER....PCGS and others don't tend to know the purpose for calling coins FB, and would probably not FB the coin in the last picture because there are minute points where the split is damaged or fuzzy (under 30X or 60X, that is)....but then again, I rarely agree with the slabbers.

If you want to know what it really is - FB.
If you want to know what slabbers would say - not FB.

Fairlaneman

Here is what has been seen from myself.

#1 is FB all the way no questions asked.

#2 could be FB in a Slab by either PCGS or NGC. The chances are 50/50 on it. I have seen examples like this that have hits or flat spots receive the FB designation and have also seen them not get the designation. Appears that eye sight from the graders is sharp one day and then not so sharp on a different day. Maybe it depends on who sends the coin and how many are sent, this does factor in also I believe.

#4 could get FB from PCGS, I have seen worse from them, but I really do not think NGC would give it the designation. Looks to me from the picture it is just a hair to shallow for a true FB coin. Actually for Mercs that take Huge jumps when getting FB this is the type of dime I really look for in the semi key dates.

Ken

wingedliberty

Oh yeah!!, I'm in heaven.


Brian.

jom

#3 is obviously non-FB but, IMO, #1 and #2 WILL get the FB designation. #4 is a 50/50 at best.

But if you ask me if these were all the same date, grade (the FB not withstanding) and eye appeal AND it was a hard date to find in FB (45P, 18D ect) then #4 would be the best value, IMO. This is assuming #4 was graded non-FB and #1 and #2 were graded FB.

jom

LanLord

The specifics on date/mm/grade per picture (sorry, I should have included this to begin with). None of them are slabbed, so grades are not firm.

#1 1944d ms64fb
#2 1919p ms63sb
#3 1937p ms64
#4 1943s ms63