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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;QUEENKOIN, post: 5842, member: 656&quot;]The &#039;S&#039; mint Frankies of the early 50s often typically had weak soft strikes..... These are easily spotted in the Lettering of the coins.....</p><p><br /></p><p>Here is a softly struck 53s non fbl coin:</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="http://www.hepcatradio.com/53S12.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>Notice the weakness in the Lettering around the Rim of the coin, very mushy, some of the Letters appear to be on the same level as the field. This type of strike usually doesn&#039;t have Full Bell Lines...</p><p><br /></p><p>Here is a softly struck 54s with FBL:</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="http://www.hepcatradio.com/54S10.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>Now this one again suffers from a soft strike, however has a nice set of complete bell lines, I found this one raw and was hoping it would slip into a 6 holder, however it cam back ms65fbl..... not bad for a $10 purchase....</p><p><br /></p><p>Now contrast those images with this very well struck 53s FBL coin:</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="http://www.hepcatradio.com/n441b.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>Notice how bold the Rim lettering is, also notice the &#039;Pass and Stow&#039; on the upper bell and the detail that is there...</p><p><br /></p><p>This coin clearly earned this holder:</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="http://www.hepcatradio.com/n441e.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>The &#039;S&#039; mint Frankies are lacking some detail in the obverse due to die quality, however, this is expected and is not wear....</p><p>Also, as the 50s progressed the master die quality really suffered, so the detail in the Franklins was disappearing... a 58, 59 Frankie may appear to be worn or poorly struck compared to a late 40s issue. This is normal and doesn&#039;t kill the grade.</p><p>In the early 60s the master die was re-worked bringing back some lost detail howvere, those mint Cats didn&#039;t do a good job on the Reverse, making&nbsp; FBL a tough find in 60s issues, particularly the P mints of the 60s...</p><p><br /></p><p>60s issues with super Bell Lines can command a premium.... Here is a 62p ms65fbl coin that I once owned and it was as hammered as a 60 issue can get with bell lines that cut!</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="http://www.hepcatradio.com/delete/62P2.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><img src="http://www.hepcatradio.com/delete/62P3.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>A tough sharply struck 62p FBL coin such as that one goes between 1600 - 1800, and maybe even more.....</p><p><br /></p><p>Frankie collectors, sharpen that eye, you&#039;ll quickly notice a well hammered and sharply struck coin....</p><p>To me the most sharply struck coins are the 51 d&#039;s........ These usually come with very solid Bell Lines and a Pass and Stow which jumps off of the coin... as seen on this hammered ms66fbl GEM that I made from a raw coin:</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="http://www.hepcatradio.com/51d652.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>Sometimes people wonder why two Frankies graded the same will have different prices....</p><p><br /></p><p>Its all in the strike baby, all in the strike, and eye appeal.....</p><p><br /></p><p>you can have two ms65fbl coins of the same year, one with a better strike........ you may have to pay alittle more....</p><p><br /></p><p>QUEENKOIN, QUEEN OF KOINS![/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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