I I'm not an expert on full bell lines, however, I thought a couple of my Franklin's are pretty close. Please tell me your opinions on the six that I have posted. I really would like to know if any of these count as FBL.
Call me a cynic, if you will, but none of the bell lines on those coins look right to me. Did those 6 coins all come from the same source?
The critical area on these is where the crack runs through the top set of lines, that middle area. That is like the middle band for full torch on the mercury dimes. You get those right, they'll usually bend over backwards to give it fbl. Or at least that's how it was. The way they each do it, today, is a little funny. That is to say, goofy. My opinion, anyway. The big deal is, all the lines are strong. What dates and mint marks?
The OP has opened a FBL rats nest! See: "Along with the obverse." It is MHO that some professionals folks have made coin grading so complicated that only "they" can do it! So grading FBL on Franklins has been so screwed up by folks who should know better (greed?) that you'll never get a satisfactory answer! You will need to make your own standards or know the standards of the TPGS you use becaust they are different. The serious Franklin collectors have their own standards that to my knowledge no one follows except them. Let me start with them. FBL's are an indication of the strength of the details of the design ON THE REVERSE. The amout of detail on a MS coin is influenced by a number of factors. The obverse and reverse of a coin can have a different appearance due to these factors. To get a fully detailed, fully struck coin (the FBL designation) from a Frankling expert The OBVERSE of the coin must show strong hair whisps! This would indicate a fully struck coin on both sides. Now for the professionals: Most others don't bother with the obverse strike and are only concerned with the bands on the bell (FBL). Now, the wacky part. Somewhere in the past, some desided that any mark across the COMPLETE and STRONG BL design would eliminate it from the FBL designation! STRIKE and MARKS are two different things but this unknown to me "Ex-Pert" made the rules that we follow. Additionally, some might ignore a shallow mark that does not penetrate to the bottom of the BL. Marks remaining from the original planchet that cross the lines are treated the same as contact marks (PMD) from circulation. Clear as mud? I'm not finished with this nonsense. In the past decades, some greedy professional at a TPGS decided he could get additional business if they would LOWER THE long held STANDARDS for the FBL designation. Previously, both the upper and lower BL had to be complete and mark free to get the FBL designation. THAT WAS CHANGED so that now, many folks only care about the bottom BL's. All of this affects the value of a coin. Grading a coin's condition of preservation is an easily determined constant as long as it remains the same. As soon as commercial grading (PLACING A VALUE ON A COIN) is involved, the condition of the market, evolving grading "standards," rarity of the coin (date, mint, mintage, survivors), and its provenence is considered, grading becomes a complex art left to the professionals. PS An image with fluorescent light would remove the glare so we could see the BL better.
I don't have many Franklin Half Dollars. I do have 4 that were graded MS-63, MS-64, and MS-65. Those were graded with Full Bells. I bought a large batch of Franklin half dollars from a widow. To date, I have not look at them, no being graded. I guess I get going. to find out. I do have a book for half dollars. Maybe it will help. Oh yeh, thanks for the info on this post.
I only need 5 or 6 more Franklins. All must be PCGS graded as MS-64 or 65 and they must have the FBL designation. A couple of the ones I have have the FBL on the TPG’s label but I don’t think they are FBL’s. Still it’s on the label and that’s the set I’m putting together.
