1943 D War Nickel Full Step??? and Grade

I'd have to agree with the AU-55. The steps area above the C makes it not full steps. But a very well struck coin for the date!

 

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Coinstruck, you contradict yourself.

Which is it? a 55? or a well struck coin? If the coin had been well struck, not only would it have full steps, (which this coin doesn't) but if in AU grade, a well struck coin would grade a 58, not a 55.

As far as 1943-Ds go, most are well struck and in MS-65 and higher 1 in 2 has 5 full steps with 6 full steps being common. (according to Bowers)

I think you were being too kind in describing this coin's strike in an effort to be polite.

 

Nice nic, but just shy of FS. These '43 Ds have more to look forward to, with 6 double-dies & more than a dozen RPMs.

 

Thanks for the information everyone. When I first saw it I was hoping it would be MS but after looking at it again closely I agree with you all that it is AU. I wish I could get a better pic of the steps. I had to crop out the rest of the picture to get the close up and when I do that it distorts the pic a bit. It probably isn't full step as most everyone has mentioned but they do look better then in the pic. Hopefully I can find some more like this (or better).

On a side note. I've noticed most of the nickels I found that have a good strike (1983 and earlier) all seem to have a slight rainbow tone to them. It doesn't really show up in pics but when I'm going through a roll it is definitely noticeable. Has anyone else noticed this with their nickels? Happy New Year everyone!

 

Mike,
I don't think it's as black and white as that.
From my experience, you can have hammered strikes and still not have full steps, and vice versa. I feel they are independent of each other.
The steps are more of a product of the die wear. As far as the designation goes, full steps can be void if there is a nick from another coin as well.
This is especially apparent in many years where worn dies were the norm. Am I nuts? Probably.

Some examples:

Great strike, no FS.






Weak Strike, FS


(this one is FS, it's just dirty)

 

no doubt, Greg, I agree. My point was that he in one breath said that the coin was a 55 and in the next said it was a well-struck coin.

Steps depend on many die factors beyond simply the strike of a coin. It was my contention in the case of this particular coin that the steps would have been full had the coin been fully struck.

I would also argue that what you refer to as a FS weak strike is not a weak strike at all but a relatively worn obverse die on a fully struck coin

and who graded coin #5 as FS anyways? It looks like there's a gash across the steps under the third pillar

 

I gotchya Mike, and can also agree with your statements here.:thumb:

GCGG (Greg's Coin Grade Guessing) graded #5. They aren't as strict as the others.

On a side note:
Here is a very experienced die.



and one more

 

Why is it not an MS 64 with full steps?

 

Because its AU and not full steps?

 

Nice AU/Unc 1943-D
But No full steps.

 

AU and not full steps.

 

not much of a talker, are you.

 

What else is there to talk about? gbroke went straight to the answer without all the extra crud that is meaningless. Jackie Chan said it best in Rush Hour.. "You seem as if you like to talk. I like to let people talk who like to talk. It makes it easier to find out how full of s**t they are!"

 

Well then it is MS64 and full steps under the same reason.