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A weekly struck Franklin vs a Sharp strike.... Caution, many images...
LucyBop
Posts: 14,001 ✭✭✭
The 'S' mint Frankies of the early 50s often typically had weak soft strikes..... These are easily spotted in the Lettering of the coins.....
Here is a softly struck 53s non fbl coin:
Notice the weakness in the Lettering around the Rim of the coin, very mushy, some of the Letters appear to be on the same level as the field. This type of strike usually doesn't have Full Bell Lines...
Here is a softly struck 54s with FBL:
Now this one again suffers from a soft strike, however has a nice set of complete bell lines, I found this one raw and was hoping it would slip into a 6 holder, however it cam back ms65fbl..... not bad for a $10 purchase....
Now contrast those images with this very well struck 53s FBL coin:
Notice how bold the Rim lettering is, also notice the 'Pass and Stow' on the upper bell and the detail that is there...
This coin clearly earned this holder:
The 'S' mint Frankies are lacking some detail in the obverse due to die quality, however, this is expected and is not wear....
Also, as the 50s progressed the master die quality really suffered, so the detail in the Franklins was disappearing... a 58, 59 Frankie may appear to be worn or poorly struck compared to a late 40s issue. This is normal and doesn't kill the grade.
In the early 60s the master die was re-worked bringing back some lost detail howvere, those mint Cats didn't do a good job on the Reverse, making FBL a tough find in 60s issues, particularly the P mints of the 60s...
60s issues with super Bell Lines can command a premium.... Here is a 62p ms65fbl coin that I once owned and it was as hammered as a 60 issue can get with bell lines that cut!
A tough sharply struck 62p FBL coin such as that one goes between 1600 - 1800, and maybe even more.....
Frankie collectors, sharpen that eye, you'll quickly notice a well hammered and sharply struck coin....
To me the most sharply struck coins are the 51 d's........ These usually come with very solid Bell Lines and a Pass and Stow which jumps off of the coin... as seen on this hammered ms66fbl GEM that I made from a raw coin:
Sometimes people wonder why two Frankies graded the same will have different prices....
Its all in the strike baby, all in the strike, and eye appeal.....
you can have two ms65fbl coins of the same year, one with a better strike........ you may have to pay alittle more....
Lucille
.
Here is a softly struck 53s non fbl coin:
Notice the weakness in the Lettering around the Rim of the coin, very mushy, some of the Letters appear to be on the same level as the field. This type of strike usually doesn't have Full Bell Lines...
Here is a softly struck 54s with FBL:
Now this one again suffers from a soft strike, however has a nice set of complete bell lines, I found this one raw and was hoping it would slip into a 6 holder, however it cam back ms65fbl..... not bad for a $10 purchase....
Now contrast those images with this very well struck 53s FBL coin:
Notice how bold the Rim lettering is, also notice the 'Pass and Stow' on the upper bell and the detail that is there...
This coin clearly earned this holder:
The 'S' mint Frankies are lacking some detail in the obverse due to die quality, however, this is expected and is not wear....
Also, as the 50s progressed the master die quality really suffered, so the detail in the Franklins was disappearing... a 58, 59 Frankie may appear to be worn or poorly struck compared to a late 40s issue. This is normal and doesn't kill the grade.
In the early 60s the master die was re-worked bringing back some lost detail howvere, those mint Cats didn't do a good job on the Reverse, making FBL a tough find in 60s issues, particularly the P mints of the 60s...
60s issues with super Bell Lines can command a premium.... Here is a 62p ms65fbl coin that I once owned and it was as hammered as a 60 issue can get with bell lines that cut!
A tough sharply struck 62p FBL coin such as that one goes between 1600 - 1800, and maybe even more.....
Frankie collectors, sharpen that eye, you'll quickly notice a well hammered and sharply struck coin....
To me the most sharply struck coins are the 51 d's........ These usually come with very solid Bell Lines and a Pass and Stow which jumps off of the coin... as seen on this hammered ms66fbl GEM that I made from a raw coin:
Sometimes people wonder why two Frankies graded the same will have different prices....
Its all in the strike baby, all in the strike, and eye appeal.....
you can have two ms65fbl coins of the same year, one with a better strike........ you may have to pay alittle more....
Lucille
.
Be Bop A Lula!!"Senorita HepKitty"
"I want a real cool Kitty from Hepcat City, to stay in step with me" - Bill Carter
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Comments
Thanks for the great thread. Very informative.
<< <i>A weekly struck Franklin >>
hey lucy, i didn't know they were struck weekly? i thought they were struck daily!
K S
<< <i>hey lucy, i didn't know they were struck weekly? i thought they were struck daily!
K S
>>
"Senorita HepKitty"
"I want a real cool Kitty from Hepcat City, to stay in step with me" - Bill Carter
Capped Bust Half Series
Capped Bust Half Dime Series
Thanks for sharing.
Tom
Lucy can't give all the secrets away... but two well rounded and struck balls is a good thing....
"Senorita HepKitty"
"I want a real cool Kitty from Hepcat City, to stay in step with me" - Bill Carter
<< <i>A weekly struck Franklin >>
The whole world would have been better off if the Bald Guy would have only been struck once a week. JMHO
Ken