Look at this http://coins.ha.com/c/item.zx?saleNo=1140&lotNo=7638#Photo If this isn't full band, then I'm not understanding the principle.
It looks to me like there are a couple really small nicks in the diagonal bands at the bottom right, and top left(near the blade on the fasces) Definitely well struck and in the spirit of the full band grade(if that makes any sense), but technically no FB.
I thought 'Miss Graded Mercs' was some sort of beauty contest but it turns out to be misgraded Mercs.
It is my understanding that Full bands means full bands. The center band is at the highest point, so generally if they are complete the rest should be, but not always. JMO I have been wrong before once or twice.
Do you have the coin in hand? If so I bet the bands are flat. Also it appears that the bands are not fully split as I see to chunks of metal between the bands.
With PCGS only the center band must be full and unbroken. With NGC all 3 bands must be full and unbroken. With this coin, the center band is not full and unbroken.
You mean like with these two MS63FSB's and this MS64FSB? Personally, I think the coin was misgraded as PCGS just didn't want to guarantee tha huge price jump from non-FSB ($675) to FSB ($4,000)
To the OP- I am sure your probably aware that there is a $4K spread in price between bands and no bands. If this was some cheap date you might.... might get it through as FB. Giving the price difference PCGS has to picky on this one. If I am paying $4k for some FB's and they're not true FB's how do ou think I would feel? What you have there is a smart purchase in my mind. So close its a couple nanometers away from being a $4500 coin yet it was purchased at a fraction of that cost. I personally like it a lot!
hes. Upon bringing it home, we photographed it and then put the pictures on the net, asking what others thought of the grade. The question occurs is whether or not the coin is actually full banded, with the focus on the middle two bands on the reed. Further shots were inconclusive, although it seems that the coin was not Full Bands, despite being a very distinct strike. Furthermore, in the light of the photographs, the reverse of the coin shows die polish which drops the grade a little more. Although these polish lines on the fields of the dime are barely vissible with the eye, they stand out with the magnification. Finally, the reeds themselves have been blown up under magnification. These photographs seem to conclude that the coin was not full reeds, although it is very close. Bottom reeds (upside down) Middle Reeds Middle Reeds Top Reeds
Actually I think all 3 of those are pretty iffy. The last one maybe, I sure wouldn't call the first 2 FB. I do understand your point though. But if the coin really was FB, then they'd have nothing to worry about. So by your reasoning, they don't really think it's FB either.
This is just another example of why people need to learn how to grade and even if the coin is slabbed still evaluate it for themselves.
