it's supposed to indicate a full strike like full split bands on mercs but i think it's just a marketing gimmick for roosys. not fully accepted by the numismatic industry IMO.
I agree. However, here's the "official" definition: http://rooseveltdimes.net/full-torch-or-full-bands-roosevelt-dime/
How many people have any idea how long strike designations such as FH, FBL, FB, etc have been around and in use ? Let me put it this way. The ANA released their first book on grading in 1977. And the strike designations had been in use for decades by then. Marketing gimmick ? Maybe, but if it is it's one of the oldest in numismatics.
Marketing gimick...yeah, I'll buy in. By the way, even though the terms have been used for decades didn't the designations come out recently by the top grading companies? As for pics: this site is from the PCGS website that shows some nice pics of what they consider "full bands." I personally favor NGCs definition that requires all horizontal AND vertical lines to be full and seperate. http://www.pcgs.com/Articles/Detail/3795 Here's NGC: http://www.ngccoin.com/news/viewarticle.aspx?NewsletterNewsArticleID=426
Corrected... it's not a "marketing" gimmick (I don't believe TPG's are "pawns" in some elaborate marketing scheme). But the OP's original question for a definition of full torch is shown in my link above. It seems that there's a difference between what PCGS and NGC consider "full torch", with NGC being the stricter of the two. Of couse, it certainly helps with the marketing of a coin desiginated as such, just as any positive notation would.
Other than Full Torch, which as noted is a newer designation, they have used them for as long as I can remember. That is not to say that the TPGs started using them in the very beginning, but they may have. I honestly do not know when exactly the TPGs started using the special strike designations. I only know that the use of them is documented from since long before the TPGs even existed. Conder might know when they (the TPGs) started using them. Ask him.
I collect Roosies and I always look for examples with the full torch. Not all slabs containing such coins have the FT designation of the label. But I'm one Roosie collector who is picky and looks for fully struck coins.
