Is this 45 P full bands?

shoo. i don't have it in-hand but if i did, i suspect there would only be the distant memory of a doily slab recognizable by the immense pile of plastic shards and a somewhat mangled insert and a coin gasket with no coin in sight... (even though slab prices are higher than normal now, for now)

that coin obviously came from a time when FB coins were being produced and it may have simply suffered some contact marks and maybe some goup in the band areas of the die.

i've spent more on smaller gambles than that.

if you do, prepare yourself for any result and maybe a few submissions. you have it in-hand. pull up some MAX CF images and you shall have your answer. (it may not even hurt to submit it through a big player)

I would hang on to it exactly like that and be thrilled with it. Besides, once that coin trades hands, we're all gonna see it offered forever on eBay for a gajillion dollars.

Awesome near miss, and what a great holder to have her in. I bought a near miss in 66 from Ken @Fairlaneman off eBay before I was even here, back in 2003. Still have her. I need to bring those home for a photo visit sometime.

Love that coin and would pay a significant premium if you ever want to sell it

@pmh1nic said:
For those that say no is it the middle band that is questionable?

The middle bands are the only ones that count. And they look to be deficient in more than one area.

@pmh1nic said:
For those that say no is it the middle band that is questionable?

Yes.

I see a dark crevice going through the contact mark on the left which would indicate a continuation of the separation of the bands. The very center of the bands does look to have a slight bridge. I would have to submit it a couple of times. Perhaps the reconsideration mode, to preserve the doily label if they rule it is not full bands. A similar situation happened to me in 08. Picked a 42 d/d Jefferson that was close to full steps but did not get the designation from PCGS. As you can probably guess, one of the major Dealers got it into an NGC full steps holder and tripled the value.

still worth extra cuz the doily

Close but no.

As far as the grading standards/opinions goes - there’s just more at stake with some coins than others.
This one will maybe bring a multiple of the non-FB value because it’s so close, whereas some bring a premium of a few dollars when it’s glaringly apparent that one is FB and one isn’t.
I think they’re more technical and there’s more scrutiny when there’s more at stake (pros can correct me, it that what I’ve come to believe).
Also - I’m ok with it. On another date if I disagree with the FB, I offer $3 less. Not $3k less.

@relicsncoins said:
Wouldn't the hit crossing the bands on the left side also keep it from a FB designation?

Yes, it absolutely should. That doesn’t mean I haven’t seen examples that have ignored that though.

It's damn close and certainly worth a premium.

@tradedollarnut said:
I like it $1,000 worth….

And another doily bites the dust.
I like this coin, but not so much as a coin as a grading play. After a few grading tries, a non-FB grade in an auction will not preclude @TDN getting his $1000 out. Good risk/reward play. Probably only a 10% chance it would work, but then we've all seen worse.

If the TPGs wanted to dilute the Full Bands definition from Fully Split and Rounded Bands to Fully Split Bands, so be it. It made some sense. And that ship has sailed.

Looking at the first page of HA results for 1945P 10c's in FB, this coin's "splittedness" seems to be better than a few and less than most. I observed several that had marks "bridging" the split and qualified, a couple unmarked and less well-struck in those areas (center of and/or left side of bands), a 45-P in PCGS MS67 NO BANDS that brought $5500 and was a bargain, and a 45P in 67+FB CAC which had, IMNSHO, a serious and deep mark transecting the killer-split bands that would shock many thinking hard about it. That one could (not should) get a consolation prize as a likely 66FB if sent in raw. A Registry collector might delude themselves thinking this is the finest graded. A seasoned/experienced Mercury Dime collector would likely not be offended. Some mega-guppo with more money than grading knowledge metaphysically screwed himself and will make money secure in his lack of knowledge that there are others even less knowledgeable who will likely make him a profit. Some chase coins; other chase labels.

As a numismatic slut and market whore, I operate where the two domains converge. @MrEureka has prescribed more Laphroaig and less introspection.

If this clarifies this situation for you, you have not been paying attention

I would not accept that in my full band's collection. But it is nice and worth a large premium. Leave it as is IMHO.

The 45-P Merc with nice Bands are hard to come by, no doubt.
His coin is a premium example and best you can get for non FB money IMO.
The holder, even without the outer ring, is an added bonus.

@tradedollarnut said:
I like it $1,000 worth….

I agree with you on this.

Here is one of my 45-P examples.

I love doilys and all, but with the outer band gone, I'd be tempted to give that a few show gradings to get it into a 5FB or 6FB holder. $10k coin in that grade.

Mercs are actually somewhat common in doilys too, so even me, a huge plastic fan, would be singing it...

@DelawareDoons or you submit is 10 time then sell it for a grand to get your money back then see it at auction in the holder you tried for

Martin