Comments on this 1945-S Mercury Dime? >>Grade Revealed<<

K6AZ · April 2, 2004 6:46AM

Not really a guess-the-grade, but I would be interested to see what people think of this dime, especially the Mercury experts. I'll reveal the holder and grade this evening.

LucyBop · April 2, 2004 6:51AM

I'm not sure if I'm seeing wear on the reverse or if the holder is cloudy or just the image......?

LucyBop · April 2, 2004 6:52AM

Also, over both of the A's on the reverse there appears to be somekinda flaw or planchet defect or something....

GaCoinGuy · April 2, 2004 6:53AM

Well......the toning doesn't do anything for me, looks fingerprinted in a couple spots, and has a blemish under the UNUM(could be on the holder, though). Bands looks split, although, on my monitor, the middle one looks iffy. In my very un-expert opinion, MS64 with possible FB. Looks like an

slab as well, so I am prolly 3 points under the grade on the slab. Course, it could be fake too

.

Edited to add: Lucy, I think those flaws you mention are there to hold the coins in place. HINT HINT

JrGMan2004 · April 2, 2004 6:54AM

I gotta copy Lucy on that one... if there's no rub, then 65FB in PCGS, 66FB in NGC... and I really don't care for that peripheral toning... rest of the coin looks a bit... blah... but that might be the picture or the holder... though I kinda doubt it's the picture sense I've seen some of your pics.....

Blade · April 2, 2004 7:06AM

Definitely FSB. While the middle band is not 100% fully struck, it would qualify.

I'm guessing the unusual look around the rim is because this is in an old PCGS rattler holder and those are the clips that hold the coin.

Nice luster, but the toning is a bit distracting. If I had to guess grade, I would say MS66FB.

K6AZ · April 2, 2004 7:13AM

The holder is cloudy, that's why it does look a bit blurry. And what you see on the A's are tabs from the holder.

melikecoins · April 2, 2004 7:15AM

Holder tabs is that what those three thing are?
They looked like jewelry mounts

Glen

kieferscoins · April 2, 2004 7:16AM

Those holder tabs means it is in a first generation PCGS holder.

Cameorn Kiefer

GaCoinGuy · April 2, 2004 7:20AM

Or in an ACG holder. AH proudly states that there are tabs there to prevent the coins from moving around in all of his EBay auctions.

K6AZ · April 2, 2004 9:31AM

Here it is. I bought this on eBay, the honest seller crossed out the ACG grade and wrote his own grade on the slab.

JrGMan2004 · April 2, 2004 9:52AM

So was I right then? Or was I wrong? Or was I part right? Or was I part wrong?

K6AZ · April 2, 2004 9:57AM

It's a 65 in my opinion, and I wouldn't grade it FSB.

JrGMan2004 · April 2, 2004 9:58AM

Ah, looks close in the picture though...

LucyBop · April 2, 2004 10:04AM

<< Those holder tabs means it is in a first generation PCGS holder. >>

Hmmm.....

The sample slab person was wrong on that one....

K6AZ · April 2, 2004 10:06AM

To be honest though, I am very picky about FSB. To me the FSB designation should mean the coin is well struck. I have even seen PCGS MS66 coins with the FSB designation that were not well struck, but had separation in the bands. On this particular coin, there is quite a bit of weaknes on the lower half of the reverse.

jom · April 2, 2004 10:15AM

<< The sample slab person was wrong on that one.... >>

Well, not really. Those ACG holders look a lot like early PCGS holders...

K6: I've seen FAR worse "FB" examples as far as overall strike. That coins is pretty damn good actually.

jom

jdimmick · April 2, 2004 10:24AM

I think you would get an Ms-65FB at PCGS on this coin min.

K6AZ · April 2, 2004 10:27AM

Well, I am very picky with Mercury dimes, I have even returned PCGS MS66 FSBs. It's a nice coin, but one thing is for sure, it's no 67.

Sidenote on the tabs - these look pretty much identical to the first generation PCGS holders, so without the entire slab, I don't think anyone would be able to tell which one it was.

Bochiman · April 2, 2004 10:55AM

Eric,

Send it in to PCGS as a crossover

Have some fun with them

stman · April 2, 2004 11:01AM

<< I have even seen PCGS MS66 coins with the FSB designation that were not well struck, but had separation in the bands. >>

That's why I don't agree with huge premiums for these type designations. Some folks are under the impression that these designations like FSB, or even FBL on Franklin's are fully struck coins. I believe the rest of the coin can be weakly struck and still be graded as such.

BTW, naw never mind I was gonna say something about the print on the coin you posted but you might get offended and tell me it's not one.

LucyBop · April 2, 2004 11:11AM

<< That's why I don't agree with huge premiums for these type designations. Some folks are under the impression that these designations like FSB, or even FBL on Franklin's are fully struck coins. I believe the rest of the coin can be weakly struck and still be graded as such.
>>

when it comes to FBL Franklins they generaly are fully struck. Sure, some can still be found that have the designation that have weak strikes but that is the exception and not the rule, and in some years, weak strikes are kinda as good as it gets.

But in general in the thousands of Franklins that have crossed my hands, FBL coins are fully struck.

K6AZ · April 2, 2004 11:12AM

No, that's a print plain as day. On the other coin you are thinking of, it was in your imagination.

stman · April 2, 2004 11:45AM

<< Sure, some can still be found that have the designation that have weak strikes but that is the exception and not the rule, >>

Agreed and I know you have much more knowledge on these than I do. I was just pointing out that I don't believe it is a "Rule" that the whole coin WILL be fully struck for the FBL designation.

LucyBop · April 2, 2004 11:56AM

Most of the time it is true, FBL is fully struck.....

These are the ones to search for....

I assure you, a fully struck 54s will command a greater premium then a weakly struck but still FBL 54s.....

I have sold numerous examples of the above mentioned....

stman · April 2, 2004 12:01PM

But....

LucyBop · April 2, 2004 12:24PM

No But's!

SLAP!

stman · April 2, 2004 12:26PM

Ok Lucy.... you're right dear, yes dear. See I know how to do it. I don't mean it but I know the drill you are looking for.

clackamas · April 2, 2004 12:29PM

With Jeffersons FS (Full Steps) usually means the coins fully struck. I have seen some that are not but many of them should not have been graded as FS. PCGS was lax on the designation in the past. The FS of today is not the FS of a couple years ago.

BTW - I thought the coin was a nice coin. I graded in 66 possible FSB (have to see it in person but looks close). Dip the print off the coin and 67?????

jom · April 2, 2004 3:58PM

The coin that has the worst decrepency from the designation to the overall strike is the Standing Liberty quarter. There are more FH SLQ's without a overall full strike than there are any of the other strike designated coins. I don't know about Jeff's but I can't imagine them being worse that SLQ's. The Merc is probably a close 2nd.

It's my guess if they start doing these dumb designations on Buffalo nickels you'll find the same problem. There are just too many areas on the coin that can be badly struck to just designate one part of the coin as "full" (ie "Full Horn"). Unless the designation is actually Full Strike it would be useless, IMO.

jom

GaCoinGuy · April 3, 2004 1:25AM

<< In my very un-expert opinion, MS64 with possible FB. Looks like an

slab as well, so I am prolly 3 points under the grade on the slab. >>

Hey I'm better than I thought I was.

My censored slab was meaning ACG

jdimmick · April 3, 2004 1:36AM

Jom,

I agree, The FH designation On SLQ's means nothing to me if the rest of the coin has a mediocre strike. I know those dates like the 26-d, s and 27-s and so forth are extrmely tough to find in FH, but if the rest of the coin is not struck well, then I just as soon pas onthe higher price of having a "ful head"

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