FBL of Franklin half dollar

Rarity

What is Full Bell Line of Franklin half dollar?

Thanks.

Leiana

FBL are on the reverse of the Franklin and it is a strike attribution.

The most difficult places to obtain FBL are to the left of the clapper/bell crack and on the extreme edges.

The bottom set of bell lines is more important.

At one TPG, NGC I think, you cannot get a FBL designation if there are any heavy hits in the area.

-Amanda

Steve27

Note these would be FBLs except there is a hit just to the right of the Liberty bell crack:

Rarity

Thanks Steve and Leiana
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It seems to me that the Bell in the picture has two sets of lines running parallel at the bottom, and these lines are not quite continuous.

Should I look for the lines to be visible, not broken, from the far left to the far right?

Leiana

<< <i>Thanks Steve and Leiana
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It seems to me that the Bell in the picture has two sets of lines running parallel at the bottom, and these lines are not quite continuous.

Should I look for the lines to be visible, not broken, from the far left to the far right? >>



Short answer, yes.

Long answer- The lines might be very hard to see unless you allow the light to reflect off the coin at the proper angle. If the lines are there all the way, then it is FBL. If there is even one bit that doesn't have the lines, no FBL.

-Amanda

Craton

PCGS FBL = Bottom set of lines full with no breaks. This includes contact marks that might break the line.
NGC FBL = .... I could be wrong but I believe that both top and bottom sets of lines have to be full?

robertpr

<< <i>PCGS FBL = Bottom set of lines full with no breaks. This includes contact marks that might break the line.
NGC FBL = .... I could be wrong but I believe that both top and bottom sets of lines have to be full? >>



Indeed. PCGS is more consistant with the designation, NGC a lot of the time relies on their differing "standards" to not give the designation. In the example you posted, a level headed person would call that FBL. NGC will too, unless they "forget" in which case they would state that the upper bell lines flatten to the left of the bell crack. This is why, in my book, anything with even a slight possibility of going FBL will go to PCGS.

SUPERCARCOINS

....I just got a pretty `54-D PCGS MS65 Franklin off ebay .

It has the most strongly struck , boldly impressed , FULL , full bell lines

I have ever seen on a circulation strike Franklin !!

In fact , the left hand lower bell lines go ALL THE WAY to the crack of the bell,

they actually touch it ! I have NEVER seen a Franklin with bell lines like this .........

But it dosn`t say F.B.L on the holder !!!!!!!!!!

on the very far right side of the coin , there is a minor scrape -

mushing the last 1/32 of an inch of the lower bell lines .

Montgomery said in R. Tomaska`s book that " the graderers have to

make the call if the bell lines were their to begin with "

clearly the bell lines were there on this coin ,

so that criteria must have changed for that idea too !

It seems PCGS has altered their deffinition of FBL`s .

It used to be the lower set to the left of the crack made the call ;

now it appears the lines must be full on the RIGHT side of the crack as well .

This is highly disturbing to me and should be to FBL collectors too .

There are thousands of PCGS Franklins in FBL holders that if resubmitted ,

by today`s standards - would not get the FBL call .

It is totaly unfair to change the horse halfway thru the race .

What is to become of these not FBL coins in older FBL holders ?

Will they be saleable ?

I hope PCGS offers to buy back the ones that don`t make the "new" FBL grade

at the full purchase price,

thats the very LEAST they can do.

How dare they do something so brash as to change their deffinition like this ??

LanLord

<< <i>

<< <i>PCGS FBL = Bottom set of lines full with no breaks. This includes contact marks that might break the line. NGC FBL = .... I could be wrong but I believe that both top and bottom sets of lines have to be full? >>

Indeed. PCGS is more consistant with the designation, NGC a lot of the time relies on their differing "standards" to not give the designation. In the example you posted, a level headed person would call that FBL. NGC will too, unless they "forget" in which case they would state that the upper bell lines flatten to the left of the bell crack. This is why, in my book, anything with even a slight possibility of going FBL will go to PCGS. >>

robertpr, what book did you write?

SUPERCARCOINS

..........seem`s nobody knows what real FBL`s are except Mad Marty and his chicken .