54-S Franklin Question
Billk9989
Posts: 27 ✭
I’ve got a lot of Franklin rolls that have been in storage for decades, including two rolls of 54-S. I’m wondering if these two rolls are damaged. All the coins in these two rolls have very decent luster, and most of them are free of ugly bag marks, and some are full bands, which isn’t common in the 54-S.
But the coins look a bit off. The surfaces look faintly grainy in hand, and under magnification it appears that there a tiny spots or pits or bumps all over. The first two pictures show one of the coins. The third picture is an angled closeup of a different coin that shows the same characteristic.
Is this just the way that some 54-S coins are? Or have these coins gotten damaged in storage? If you were to ask me, I would say that they have had some sort of damage that has caused a roughness in the look of the surfaces. But the fact that virtually every coin in both rolls has this appearance makes me wonder if this is just the way the planchets were.
I am wondering if PCGS would give these coins a straight grade. And if so, would they be downgraded for the appearance of the surfaces.
Edit: I meant FBL, not full bands.
Comments
If this is the grainy or textured look you are talking about it looks like die erosion.
It shouldn't cause a problem with grading.
Agree, I don’t see any problem. Neat coins to have two rolls of! If you take a look at images of 1954s halves on CoinFacts, you will see a similar graininess on many of them.
Check for FBL in those rolls!
The coin you show just looks like it has been struck from well used dies. They probably aren't worth slabbing unless you can get a high MS grade with FBL. The coin you show has a lot of chatter on the high points and, in my opinion, would not get a FBL designation.
I agree with the diagnosis of die erosion.... They should straight grade... select a couple of the very best and send them in. Good luck, Cheers, RickO
Yes, that’s the area. Die erosion, OK.
I looked at Coinfacts and see it there, thanks.
If I could describe the look it would be satiny but grainy, slightly different from what we would normally describe as satiny. Almost a crystalline look. I don’t have the words.
I found several that are FBL, and they’re attractive, just not as shiny as most of the MS Franklins I have. I’m going to submit the FBL coins if this isn’t a problem with the surfaces.
Let us know what they come back as. Best of luck!
Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value. Zero. Voltaire. Ebay coinbowlllc
Yeah, found some.
You just don’t know what you will come across when you start digging through these old rolls. How about this one? I came across it last night. It is a 59-P FBL and it looks like a proof. Here are pictures that try to show the surfaces, but they just don’t do it justice. The surfaces are highly mirrored exactly like a proof, yet it has huge cartwheel - crazy. I searched and see that there is such a designation, at least with NGC, but everything that I do has been PCGS. I would grade this coin at MS64FBL, minimum. But they don’t let me grade coins. I can’t find price history on a prooflike 59-P, and maybe there is no premium, so I don’t know if I should include it in my next submission.
I don’t see the lines or the proof likeness
I’d photograph flat and move light around to get better view, and crop