1975 Jefferson Nickel FS ???

Sorry for the pile on BUT: The large, detracting, naked-eye hit precludes this coin from even approaching FS!

The grading services, Jefferson nickel specialists, and the rest of us can have different opinions and they are published. FB, FBL, and FS definitions are all over the map. Some say the mark only needs to touch the design, others say it needs to cut down INTO the depth of the horizontal line. The FBL issue is really a mess as PCGS changed the requirements from both sets of BL to just the bottom set. One supposedly authoritative site (CAC if I remember) shows a FBL Franklin with a deep cut at one end of the bell!

We are free to call things anything we wish. Others don't need to agree. The looser our standards are, the fewer numismatists may agree with them.

 

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The CAC green bean on a FBL/FS/FT/etc coin does mean that CAC agrees with the designation. However, they follow the laxer PCGS standards (so, for FBL, CAC only requires the bottom set of lines).

For every single strike designation, the NGC rules are stricter.

 

@TJ1952

Many things in numismatics are NOT subjective in spite of what some want us to believe.

 

You are correct; however, as I posted, when I was doing research for an article on FBL, I believe (as I posted) the CAC photo of a FBL coin did not meet BOTH their and the PCGS published standard! I believed it was CAC because at the time I wrote the article, I spoke with John about it. I guess I'll just need to look now. I see that this aspect of grading is only addressed topically in your book (which I recommend) without any specific criteria given.

BTW, I never heard of "high point pitting" until I read your book. As with anything, new comers/or newly published authors to the hobby are free to assign their own "names" to characteristics they see on coins. Perhaps your "name" will catch on with our younger collectors as the term I coined in the 1970's (OPSI) to describe the "original planchet surface imperfections" that remain on a struck coin (in ANY area of weakness - including the high points) has not.


EDIT: Just looked at CAC website. What I posted was correct; however, the photos appear to have been changed from the ones I remember a while back (otherwise - just fading memory). Note that FBL14 is NOT FBL! IMO the BS about "too minor to matter: allows for "wiggle room." A hit is a hit! Also note (as you posted) that the CAC standard is based on the looser PGGS standards. One posted FBL coin with a deep hit on the top bands is not FBL at ANY OTHER TPGS!

We all know grading is subjective and NOW it appears that over time, the "experts" are trying their best to make the designations subjective too! So sad...

 

I also posted this coin on Collectors Universe and one of the members over there said that the stair had a planchet void and not a hit .

 

It sure looks like a planchet void. So what. Original planchet surface marks on the cheek of a Peace dollar are mint made yet they are a detraction too. This is a break across the steps. What if it were a lamination or a struck through? NO DICE! NOT FS!

 

The trick will be to get 2 out of 3 graders to agree with it.

 

The funniest part is everyone said over at Pcgs, that the ones they have in " Coin Facts " aren't FS and they graded at MS-67FS which is worth 2,750.00 Dollars .

A MS-67 that isn't FS is only worth 200.00 Dollars .
What a refund Pcgs would have to payout for the wrong designation ( FS ) ......

 

I didn't come up with the name. Tomaska uses it in his Franklin books (published 20-30 years ago). Other people have other names for the same thing - I don't think there is any consensus on a name for the phenomenon, but it has been discussed here several times previously.

 

Shows what I don't know! Rick is an accomplished numismatist. I have a copy of his book in my library and read it when it first came out. Missed "high point pitting" though, otherwise, "we" (me and the mouse in my pocket ) should have explained to him that perhaps "pitting" was a derogatory term that does not describe the different shapes of the marks that were not completely struck out.

Thankfully, it appears this term has not caught-on in a big way on the Internet.

ERROR-Ref.com calls them "tumbling marks." IMO, this is a much better term to describe the marks imparted to the planchet before it was struck. Perhaps you'll consider using that term in the second edition of your book. Just a thought as it is your book.

 

Looks to me like a common die crack through the steps and of course not an FS nickel. You can put a fancy name to it but still not going to float as fs.

 

I think all 3 terms convey the meaning of what the marks are. They are imperfections originally on the planchet (OPSI), which were imparted during the tumbling process, and visible on the high points due to an incomplete strike.

And, to return to the point of this thread - one of the high points where they are often seen is on the steps of the Jefferson nickel.

All that to say - when high point pitting or OPSI occurs on the steps, it doesn't really matter why the steps are incomplete. The steps are incomplete. This precludes a FS designation.

 

Die cracks are raised. This is not.

 

Beat me to it by 12 seconds.

 

I'll never beat you to anything...you da man!

 

I just think it's abrasions from being struck, that's all ...
I hate that I have to keep reducing the image size for better viewing .

 

I'll get a better image in the morning, with the natural lighting first thing in the morning is the best time for images . East to West is the best way to take the image of the steps, it takes out all the abrasions on the steps ...

 

In my opinion, any reputable grader would not grade it FS based upon the diagonal tick mark across the steps.

 

I found this in the change about a month ago .

I wish I had a 5MP scope, this 2MP just doesn't do it .

 

This is not FS either.

@Rick Stachowski

Someone with a different "name" has posted the coin in the OP here at Collectors Universe. He is doing his best to get someone to call it FS.