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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Vess1, post: 1207050, member: 13650&quot;]Here&#039;s an example of a well struck merc with full luster for comparison.&nbsp; This is a 39-D PCGS MS-66 FB.&nbsp;&nbsp; It got the Full Band designation because the center band in the middle of the fasces (holding the sticks together) has the indented line in the center of it, fully separating the top and bottom of the band.&nbsp; That&#039;s the high point of the reverse.&nbsp; The furthest the metal would have to go into the die. So if that shows up, you know the entire design was fully pressed into the coin with most likely, a decent die.&nbsp; These horizontal bands are usually the first thing many people look at when judging a merc.&nbsp; To see if they&#039;re well separated or &quot;mushy&quot;.&nbsp; &nbsp; Same with Jefferson nickels and &#039;full steps&#039; on his home on the reverse.&nbsp; The majority simply did not strike up to their full potential.</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f203/vessxpress1/coinalbum2/rev.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" />&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p><img src="http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f203/vessxpress1/coinalbum2/obv.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>&nbsp; On the obverse you can see how much hair detail and feather detail there can be in the wing.&nbsp; In grading, I think it helps to see the best quality there can be and work your way back so you know what potential was originally there for that series.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>&nbsp; If the coin was made with worn out dies, or they didn&#039;t hammer together completely, then it would have made a coin that could never meet it&#039;s full potential.&nbsp; Even as new, fresh off the line.&nbsp; It may look worn but could still be graded MS.</p><p><br /></p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Some Denver mint buffalo nickels from later years had problems striking&nbsp; They actually had the dies adjusted apart&nbsp; some, so they weren&#039;t making them over-sized diameters&nbsp;&nbsp; Which resulted in some years of buffalo nickels having weak horns and weak details when they came off the line.&nbsp; &nbsp; Weakly struck coins weren&#039;t always an accident.&nbsp; &nbsp; But most of the time, I think the dies wore out.&nbsp; Especially in the early years of minting when it wasn&#039;t easy to get a new die across country from Philadelphia.</p><p><br /></p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I took these photos with just a tensor light, a Canon S3 in macro with the white balance set, and a cheap marco lens off a wide angle from ebay.&nbsp; &nbsp; If your camera has a removable ring on the front, it&#039;s a lot easier using a macro lens.&nbsp; Let it be your magnifying glass, attached to the camera.&nbsp;&nbsp; I have shot through a loupe with the macro to zoom in on specific features.&nbsp;&nbsp; Like taking a pic of individual letters or numbers.&nbsp; The lighting and angles, as you have experienced, are difficult to deal with.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>&nbsp; For accurate colors, you never want to mix two types of lighting and set a custom white balance with a sheet of paper if possible.&nbsp; It helps immensely.</p><p><br /></p><p>&nbsp;Welcome to cointalk![/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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