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Message:: [QUOTE="physics-fan3.14, post: 2822798, member: 19165"]That is correct - 48's were the very first year, so the master was still quite strong. FBL's are quite common this year. The OP's coin is well struck. Notice how bold the bottom set of lines are. Other things to look at are the three wisps of hair above his ear that skyman mentioned, and look at the fully complete and readable "Pass and Stow." These only appear on well struck coins. PCGS only uses the bottom set of lines to determine FBL, and so this coin would easily get FBL at PCGS. CAC uses this same deficient "standard," and so if it were properly graded it would receive the CAC sticker as well. NGC uses a stricter standard, which is why you should only buy FBL coins in NGC holders. They require both sets of line to be full and complete. Unfortunately, there are too many marks and hits on the top set of lines for me to call it FBL. This coin is not FBL by NGC's standard. However, you may find some coins with this same disturbance labelled FBL, especially on tougher years (depending on when it was certified). Ten or 15 years ago, this may have made it. Recently, they've been tightening, so it would not make it.[/QUOTE]