Fullstep or Foolstep?

MrSpud

In order to be able to understand the concept of fullstep Jeffersons better, I went ahead and bought a couple of ones that were claimed to be full step. I was thinking that some I have found in the past may or may not qualify because of a nick or a slightly weak area so I wanted an example to be able to compare them to. I bought a newer one and an older one that are claimed to be fullstep. Tonight I have been examing the newer one which is a 73P. If this is really a full step, then lots of ones I have found recently are also fullstep because they have better looking steps. Does this look like a fullstep to you? Or have I been fooled? Thanks, in advance, for any responses.
MrSpud

melikecoins

They both look beat up, but the first pic is really close, anything would look like trash that close.

The steps changed over the years many times and in 73 they were kinda soft.

71 has good strong steps on most nickels try finding one of them, you can get them with all 6 steps

Glen

MrSpud

Just to clarify, both pictures are of the same coin (1973P).

nOoBiEeE

I found some great info about steps from one of the board members websites.... Jefferson Nickel Step Grading and Counting

MrSpud

Yeah, I read that info just the other day. It is really good stuff. I also read an article in the latest Coinvalues magazine. I keep thinking I have it figured out, then I read something else that makes me wonder. That's why I decided to buy some. I figured I'd buy an old one and new one. So I got a 1941-D MS65 5.5 Steps and a 1973 MS65FS. Only now, after examining the coins I am even more confused. The 1941-D has nice steps, but appears poorly struck in some other areas whereas the 1973 has steps that look kinda weak to me as shown in the pics.
MrSpud

nOoBiEeE

<< <i>I keep thinking I have it figured out, then I read something else that makes me wonder. >>

I know exactly what you mean..

melikecoins

Some of the best struck older nickels are those 40-41 and even the War nickels.

Glen

haletj

I am in the same boat as MrSpud... I;ve saved a bunch of nickels I think are FS but am not 100% sure. (I have some I am 100% sure about too!) Mostly what I can't decide about, is how small a nick or tick on the steps is okay or not okay? A lot or even most have ticks that really can't be seen without 5 or 10x magnification. Is that enough to null FS?

centmaster

If the tick goes deeply enough to break the step, then it will not get FS in most cases. PCGS is a little bit generous on some dates from the late 70's and early 80's if the 5th step merges into the 4th step under the 3rd or 4th pillar. Your 73P pictured would not make FS for two reasons: 1-the tick is pretty deep and 2-it is common with FS (they may let a light tick on the steps slide with a 53S or 54S, for instance.) A good rule of thumb- using 3X to 5X magnification, tilt the coin upwards a little bit while looking at the steps. If you can still see the 5th step (or 6th!) without any breaks present, then it will probably make it.

MrSpud

Yeah, that's what is so confusing to me now. I wouldn't expect the coin I took the pictures of to make the grade at a slabbing company, but here is a pic of the slab it is in.

CarlWohlforth

Some dates are almost impossible to find completely fully struck, with 6 full steps and no nicks or cuts. PCGS grades coins with 5 full steps as FS. I understand NGC now grades coins as either 5 or 6 full steps with the number of steps noted on the label. They used to give out FS only if the nickel had 6 full steps so I suggest that older NGC FS holdered coins are worth looking at.

There have been minor design changes over the series. Details have been added to Monticello among other things. This might make comparision among dates slightly confusing. Also a FS coin might not be fully struck everywhere.

The coin pictured looks to be a 5 step coin with several nicks.

RELLA

<< <i>PCGS is a little bit generous on some dates from the late 70's and early 80's if the 5th step merges into the 4th step under the 3rd or 4th pillar. >>

I just Coinstarred two MS65-MS66 5-5-4-5 1980-P Jeffersons and now someone tells me! I knew I should have kept them.



<< <i>Your 73P pictured would not make FS for two reasons >>

Sooner or later the TPGs will make fools of us all (or is that the other way around?)

RELLA

mrearlygold

Personally I like FS Jeffersons.

I don't agree that one that displays such hits should qualify as FS.

TP

keets

the first picture depicts a coin that would be questionable, but the second picture, if the same coin, means no. you should consider that with Jeffersons as with all coins, if you micro-grade with high power you won't find much that meets your standards. as centmaster said, 3-5X should be sufficient to determine Full Steps. anything more just isn't needed. consider how the services will be looking at the coins you submit and examine the coins in the same manner.

al h.

MrSpud

Thanks for the input everyone. So I guess that the coin I have (pictured above at two different levels of magnification in the first post), even though in a PCGS slab graded FS, is actually a borderline 5 stepper with tick in it that may pass as FS at PCGS if not magnified too much but that just as easily could have been denied the FS designation if the examiners had noticed the tick.
MrSpud

keets

the tick looks to prominent to have gone unnoticed, i believe they saw it and had the advantage of having the coin in hand. they evidentally thought there was no bridge. since you now have the advantage of having the coin in hand, try this. turn the slab so that you can look along the steps, not directly at them, and use a low power glass to note any bridges. this is a much more effective way to detect bridges.

al h.

MrSpud

Ok, thanks. I just tried looking at the coin at different angles with just the naked eye and also witha 3X lens. If I look straight at the coin or if I turn the slab sideways it looks like it has 5 steps with a tick in the bottom center of the 5th step, but no bridges between the steps. If I tilt it forward slightly so I am looking at the bottom of the steps, it looks like an inverted wide V shaped wheelchair ramp where the 5th and 6th step should be with the tick right in the center of the top of the inverted V going up into the 4th step.