Jefferson experts: reverse of 38 steps ?

39Special

Ok full step experts out there, do you think this 1939 D reverse of 1938 Jefferson would qualify as full steps? I've louped the coin with a 5x and there are no hits in the steps whatsover...but is the strike strong enough? The coin was slabbed in the late 90's so it was done before PCGS started giving out reverse of 38 full steps. This would obviously make a big difference in price.

Boom

Good camera work. Better than I can do, for sure but still unable to say definitively from that particular shot.

BTW, I'm no expert to FS Jeffersons.

coinkat

I do not claim to be an expert, but if it where my coin and if FS was the only real question, I would send it in. I think it makes FS

keets

judging from the picture i would have to say no. while there are clearly several places throughout the steps which are questionable and which probably would be enough to deny the designation, the area under the third pillar at step five is definitely a no brainer for denial(step four is even questionable). the fly-in-the-ointment is that these things always, always, always look much worse when exxagerated by a 30X picture such as this.

all the same, i'd have to say that if a grader needs to rotate the coin to catch the light just right to show a thin strip of planchet pushed up to give a step line, the coin probably shouldn't receive the designation and the price associated with those two letters. FWIW, when i screen coins for submission, if i have to do that to justify including them on a submission they go back into the box for storage.

centmaster

PCGS is a little more generous with FS coins with rev. of '38, but yours is probably not a candidate. They will concede softness under the 3rd pillar as long as the detail is there under the 2nd pillar (as well as the 1st and 4th), but yours has something going on under the 2nd and 3rd. Perfect example of what they're looking for is the 66FS 39D in Teletrade's auction next Sunday: it looks as if it may be a little soft under the 3rd pillar, which is the norm, but the rest of the steps appear clean and strong, so it got the Full Steps.

39Special

CentMaster, good analysis. I can assure you this coin is quite strong enough under the 2nd pillar; the steps are basically the same under this pillar as in my other reverse of 38 full steppers. Where the question lies is directly under pillar 3, on the last (fifth) step. This area is always soft, so weakness here might not necessarily preclude the FS, but the strike in this area is perhaps too soft to qualify. It sure is tempting to send it in for designation review; this coin will rocket in value if it is a FS.

coinkat

How is the coin currently graded?

ricko

I would say no...not hits but weak strike... too many gaps... Cheers, RickO

keets

the fact that a collector of the series is asking this question here and appears more concerned about the value of the coin than his understanding of the designation guidelines is troublesome to me. on one hand, it seems you realize the coin isn't Full Steps, on the other you're willing to further confuse things purely for financial gain. why is that??

even more boggling to me is the ludicrous notion that since the overall detail of the steps is OK it doesn't matter that that fifth step is incomplete. don't you guys read the PCGS standard for this strike desgnation?? it's in their grading manual in black and white, no step counting ala ANACS allowed here.

again, if that picture is accurate, and from what the OP has said i believe it is, the coin doesn't have five full steps. but hey, send it in and get rich, then we can all complain about how the plastic perverts things.

------------------i'll add that it's crap like this which made easy my decision to sell my FS coins and focus on Proof Jefferson Nickels.

Ronyahski

So hard to tell from pics, but I think it is FS. Whether PCGS will think it is FS - I dunno anymore, too unpredictable. Other than the 3rd pillar, don't agree with the other comments that there is stuff going on that would preclude FS - looks like a great strike.

centmaster

<< <i>even more boggling to me is the ludicrous notion that since the overall detail of the steps is OK it doesn't matter that that fifth step is incomplete. don't you guys read the PCGS standard for this strike desgnation?? it's in their grading manual in black and white, no step counting ala ANACS allowed here. >>



It is in their manual, but we still have seen many dates where the 5th step under the 3rd pillar in always soft (like 77P or 81P) and they get the FS rating. It's not black and white, they do seem to take the date into account when assigning FS.

keets

we still have seen many dates where the 5th step under the 3rd pillar in always soft (like 77P or 81P) and they get the FS rating.

all that means is that the other coins are designated incorrectly if the fifth step isn't complete. to pay the premium commanded by a FS grade for a NON-FS coin is just stupid. in the case of this issue you'll be overpaying to the tune of 500-1000% depending on the grade.

good luck and enjoy your FS Jefferson Nickels!!!!

keets

consider the two poictures below and answer me truthfully, which do think represents Full Steps and whci would you rather be paying that hefty premium for?? Clue-----there is really only one correct answer.

clackamas

Close but I don't think so.

rbalderman1

Definately, the bigger picture is FS. :&lt NOT

Send it in anyway. You never know and they may be in a good mood for the holiday.

keets

actually, it was a trick question since neither is Full Step.