Did PCGS mess up (edited)?

Not FS not a 67 not by these baby blues.

 

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I zoomed in quite a bit, but still don't see any issues with those steps, do you?



...or is it FS as in Fake Steps? ;-)

 

No, they did not screw the pouch, for the reasons that you have already listed in your second post in this thread. I think it is helpful in situations like these to post comparative coins to get an idea of what the other grades look like. Take my NGC MS66 5FS for example.




Note that both coins have significant planchet flaws in exactly the same area, the cheek and jaw. Now I'm not saying that every mark on the PCGS example is remnant planchet flaws, but between my NGC MS66 and the PCGS MS67, the PCGS MS67 is definitely the cleaner coin with respect to surface preservation.

While I agree that it is extremely difficult to differentiate between planchet roughness and contact marks, this only affects the highest points on the coin which are well known for the series. In addition, in some years, it is nearly impossible to find examples without remnant planchet roughness. It would essentially create the same problem that not allowing for roll/cabinet friction on Saint Gaudens. All of the coins, regardless of the other attributes and overall quality would be relegated to the same lower grades.

 

In fairness Mike, I have seen full step nickels that look full step under a loupe but are impossible to photograph with all of the steps intact. That said, there is no way they should use that coin as their plate coin. There has to be a better example with better defined steps.

 

LoL (1) steps

 

Don't you know that FS is ambiguous for Four Steps, Five Steps and Full Steps? So MS-67 Four Step is what it is.

 

as always, Paul, I defer to your expertise, even though I think we are of like mind in grading Jeffersons on most occasions

 

Some of my graded nickels have handicap ramps rather than steps.

 

Lincolns are known for this too. The O in ONE area being a prime example.

 

So at what point should completeness of strike be a defining factor in grade? In PCGS' own words, MS67 needs to be "very well struck." If this coin meets that standard, and I feel there needs to be a Bell Curve for it to even come close, these must have been poorly-struck indeed.

 

I think that a complete strike would be a great place to start the grades of MS-67-70, but I didn't write the standard.