This will be the fourth of five guess the grades from my recent submission to NGC. Please view the photos below and vote in the attached poll. For uniformity, I will provide the same available grades for all 5 coins. For the record, I was not fortunate enough to get a full step coin with a star designation. As always, comments welcome.
It's clean enough to get a 66 but the weak reverse will keep it to a 65 . Still I like the subtle toning .
My personal grade would be MS66, with luster precluding a higher grade. I wouldn't be surprised if NGC put it into MS67 plastic. IMHO, NGC is more liberal grading these than PCGS and even old ANACS by up to a full point. I voted no on the full steps designation.
P.S. You mentioned five coins, but I only see four threads. Did I miss something or did you only start four threads?
I like it as a 66 due to the weak strike and streaky toning (negative eye appeal) - but you said to guess the assigned grade, so I put 67. This one does not have the eye appeal for a Star. And it clearly doesn't earn the FS.
I though all 5 were superb I love nickels and you and Gbroke post some beauties. I also enjoyed an article I read on coinnection.com about the 1939s w/rev of 40. very well written and informative. That is definitely one I will have on my radar once I decide I know enough to spend a few hundred on a single coin. Keep posting them I enjoy looking and learning.
This coin had the worst potential of the 5 coins. The coin has MS66 surfaces but the luster is not great and the color is not good enough to warrant a star. I was hoping that the color would make up for the lackluster reverse and keep this coin at an MS66 grade.