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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;WillGK, post: 8150483, member: 115517&quot;]I didn’t intend this to be a guess the grade.&nbsp; I wanted to see if people are as confused as I am.&nbsp; The fact that opinions have split right down the middle between #1 and #2 confirms it.&nbsp; So I’m going to skip high res pics of reverses for now, because posting photos is something that I’m not good at - gives me heartburn.</p><p><br /></p><p>I actually thought that #2 was a nicer coin, albeit with a bit less luster.&nbsp; And I’ve got a couple of other 59Ps that are similar, one in particular looks better to me than either #1 or #2, and a fourth is close.</p><p><br /></p><p>I submitted these coins when I knew little about how professional graders see coins.&nbsp; I thought that the coins were at least MS65FBL and hopefully one or more might come back MS66FBL. A 65 vs a 66 grade is important in a 59P FBL, up to an order of magnitude difference in price - huge. </p><p><br /></p><p>And how did the graders see my 59P coins?&nbsp; Coin #1 was graded MS65+FBL.&nbsp; All others were graded MS65FBL.&nbsp; I was surprised and disappointed because I thought that the others were at least equal, likely better.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>I was sending some coins in to CAC, so I included #1.&nbsp; I was disappointed in the other 59P grades and didn’t bother to include them.&nbsp; Coin #1 got a green sticker from CAC.</p><p><br /></p><p>Pickin says it’s luster that tips the scales on #1 an #2 - makes sense because #1 got the kewpie doll and it has the most luster of the 59s.</p><p><br /></p><p>But then there is this:&nbsp; I posted a coin here a while back - 1952 Franklin - when I was trying to understand what qualifies as FBL and what doesn’t.&nbsp; Lehigh told me this coin was at least 66FBL and maybe 67FBL… depending on luster!… and that I should submit it to PCGS.&nbsp; Lehigh nailed it, it came back MS66FBL.&nbsp; I sent it off to CAC.&nbsp; They gave it a green sticker.&nbsp; And here is the punch line - it has less luster than any of the 4 1959s!</p><p><br /></p><p>Below are pictures of the 1952.&nbsp; I’m showing the reverse of the 1952 on this one so that people can see that there’s a light toning on the coin, especially on the reverse.&nbsp; Beneath this toning is intact, original luster - but soft, even softer than the MS65 59Ps.&nbsp; (Sorry about the last couple of pictures, but I don’t have my good camera setup at hand.)&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>Now I’ve explained my confusion:&nbsp; If luster is the thing that sets #1 apart from the other 59s, and the other 59s have as much or more luster than the 52, and the 52 got a 66 with a CAC, then the grading here has to be something other than luster.&nbsp; What else is there?&nbsp; Strike.&nbsp; Strike is plenty good on all, to support gem grades.&nbsp; Surface preservation.&nbsp; But surface preservation on #1 looks no better and possibly less good than the other 59s that I have.&nbsp; Curb appeal.&nbsp; I think all of them are simply white coins that look nice in their own way. </p><p><br /></p><p>So, what is it that professional graders are looking for in Franklins? I’m stumped, and it’s a big question because I have lots of Franklins.&nbsp; I’d like to re-submit some of the 59s as well as other years I haven’t mentioned, either cracked out or having PCGS crack them out.&nbsp; But if I don’t know what the graders want to see I’m just wasting my time and money.&nbsp; What are they looking at, anyway?!</p><p><br /></p><p>Well, here goes nothin’ on posting photos, lol…[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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