Can an AU58 get designated an FBL? I think I have seen it before. Well, what do you think of todays under $50? I attached some different photos for this one. What doesn't show too well is the fine blazing luster that is present even on the bright white high points. #2 #3 Sorry I can't catch the fine luster.
AU 58 can receive FBL. Below is a photo I found online. I would guess ANACS and ICG would give the designation just like NGC. PCGS will not: "PCGS designates Full Bell Lines for Franklin Half Dollars that grade MS60 or better and show full separation of the lines on the bottom of the Liberty Bell on the reverse. To qualify for this designation, a coin must also show no major disturbances, including cuts and marks, of the separation of the bell lines."
And I would call the 1955 FBL....I wonder if the TPGs would call it a 62 FBL (slider/market grade) as opposed to 58 FBL?
Well that all depends on what the grader thinks in hand. It reminds me of an MS that has been stuck in an album or a flip for a while. The lighting makes it look more worn than it is in hand.
The NGC pops shows there are a couple of Franklins graded 55FBL, a 1950-D and a 1954-D. Those are the lowest…….there are several 58FBL graded Franklins. Surprisingly, PCGS only has 7 graded 58FBL. They do have one graded lower, and it is way lower…….VF30 FBL I would have thought since they only use one of the bell lines for the FBL designation they would have many more AU and below with the designation. I apologize, it appears my NGC search started with 1950. In double checking there are more 55FBL from the 1948 and 1949 years and even one 53FBL. Between 1948 and 1949 Philadelphia examples there were over 100 AU58 FBLs.
My guess is that the 58 and lower FBLs at PCGS are mechanical errors or database entry errors as their website states they don’t give the FBL designation to any Franklin below MS 60.
That makes sense since they have so many above MS. I’m really surprised they don’t give them in AU especially since NGC has so many using two lines.
This fits in with the slightly different grading standards between series and different TPG's. If this coin finds it's way into a slab. I would definitely choose NGC for Franklins. They are definitely tougher, but one set of steps? I don't understand why PCGC would weaken their standards for a designation in any grade.
PCGS always had the weaker standard for full bell lines. I'm not sure why they chose that. Maybe it was influenced by dealers or whoever was grading there at the time. With your Franklin, NGC seems like the better place since you would get the FBL if they give it a 58 while PCGS would not even if it deserved it based on their standard of needing to be MS 60 or higher.
