The closest I've ever come to finding a late '60's full step Jefferson.

Russ

Most of these suckers have nothing but wheelchair ramps. But this afternoon as I was out playing hooky from work, I found a pretty strong 1968-S. Not FS, of course, but after searching and searching it's nice to find one that has at least SOME steps.



Now I know the non-Jefferson collectors are thinking "big friggin' deal", so here's a preemptive BITE ME.

Russ, NCNE

SanctionII

I posted a few minutes ago about looking through some 1968 mint sets today. Nary a full step nickel to be found. In fact, the best of the coins had maybe 1 to 1.5 steps. Most had none and in the winter, with snow and ice, TJ would be facing numerous landowner liability lawsuits for slip and fall injuries.

Not fair Russ, I looked through a bunch of 68 nickels and found bupkis and you look and find a 68 nickle that has more steps than I have ever seen on nickels of this date. Not fair, not fair.

By the way, did you acquire the coin? If so, what are your plans for it? I suspect you could get a good price for it from a dedicated Jeff collector.

dizzyfoxx

<< <i>so here's a preemptive BITE ME. >>

tjkillian

I have a couple of proof sets from the late 1960's (the late 1860's did not have any steps either), that do have full steps. Should I submit them? I had no clue that full step Jeffersons were rare.

Tom

sinin1

submit it

I have seen PCGS FS slabs that look worse

(although by their definition it should not)



very hard to see with a 10 second grading evaluation

Coxe

Man, those are rough. I think FS Jeffs are going to be huge in the future, not that they aren't big now.

The only good date I have with steps is a 1953-S. It's one of those keeper coins even though it is outside my focus. (My scanner doesn't do it justice. Everything comes out dark and mushy.)


I should get my kids into these.

Russ

<< <i>I have a couple of proof sets from the late 1960's (the late 1860's did not have any steps either), that do have full steps. >>



Yeah, I also have a couple proof sets with full step Jeffersons.

Russ, NCNE

Hoot

That's a nice one, Russ. Of all of the late 60's Jeffs, the '68-S is the most likely to bear full steps. I have a couple that were designated FS in the old days, but would not cut the mustard now, with too much flatness between steps four and five in the center, but with 6 steps at the periphery under pillars 1 and 4. Unfortunately, I do not have adequate technology to get a decent photo of the steps - perhaps some day.

Hoot

coinkat

While it is always the steps that capture the headlines for Jefferson collectors, there is still something short of FS that is still noteworthy for certain dates as evidenced by the 1953-s pictured in this thread. My 1953-s is also in an ANACS 65 holder and even though it is not FS, the strike is needle sharp and the Monticello is very clear and complete. As time goes on, grading this series and placing greater importance on the totality of the completeness of the strike really has the potential to change how collectors view what is important.

Russ... what does the complete reverse look like?

Russ

<< <i>Russ... what does the complete reverse look like? >>



Mushy.

Russ, NCNE

coinkat

mushy is not surprising... and is expected

Coxe

<< <i>While it is always the steps that capture the headlines for Jefferson collectors, there is still something short of FS that is still noteworthy for certain dates as evidenced by the 1953-s pictured in this thread. My 1953-s is also in an ANACS 65 holder and even though it is not FS, the strike is needle sharp and the Monticello is very clear and complete. As time goes on, grading this series and placing greater importance on the totality of the completeness of the strike really has the potential to change how collectors view what is important.

Russ... what does the complete reverse look like? >>



I know the 53-S is not complete, but it is still the best one I have located. The bottom two are barely distinct between the 2bd and 3rd posts and are merges at the left and right ends. The 3rd and 4th steps have a break in their distinction under the 2nd post. It is pretty good for 5 steps; that 5th one is a killer. Has anyone seen a 53-S or 54-S with all full split steps?

cladking

These coins rarely appear as very well struck gems that are extremely proof like. But even
these generally have only two or three steps. The Denver comes even nicer and is a little
less scarce. But, if memory serves, the steps are even less defined. It's pretty obvious when
you see one of these that that particular die simply never had all the steps in it, and this is
the case with most of the dies from '65 to '70.

coinkat

Coxe:

I am not slamming the pictured 53-s and I have not seen 5 or 5.5 or 6 steps for this date or the 1954-s.

I am of the view that well struck 53-s Jeffs that show a full monticello, but lack a FS designation, are significantly underappreciated.

Coxe

coinkat - no problem. And I agree and really mean strike with FS being the pinnacle of it obviously. As clad pointed out which I didn't appreciate before, deficiencies at the hub or die level may be a limitation that no strike would have been able to exceed.