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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;GDJMSP, post: 2477183, member: 112&quot;]I think the first part of your comment is how the special designations came to be in the first place, back before the NGC and PCGS even existed. But once they did exist - after that, it was just a gimmick. And a meaningless gimmick at that. </p><p><br /></p><p>Think about it. What is it, exactly, that the special designations are supposed to mean ? They are supposed to define the quality of strike of the coin in order to set apart exemplary coins - special coins - that are at the least well if not very well struck.</p><p><br /></p><p>Quality of strike is one of the criteria that is supposed to be used, but is usually ignored by the TPGs, in grading. And there are 4 basic categories covering quality of strike - weak strike, average strike, good strike (sometimes referred to as well struck) and full strike. And if you read actual grading standards quality of strike is a limiting factor, but again it is usually ignored by the TPGs. For example, according to the standards a coin cannot be graded MS65 unless that coin is, at the least, well struck, meaning it can grade no higher than 64. Or, a coin cannot be graded MS67, (and in some cases 66), unless it is fully struck. </p><p><br /></p><p>Then we have the special designations, a way to take an average coin and make it special, something more than it actually is. The coin may only grade 63, or 64, but if you slap a special designation on the slab - well, it becomes special. Not only increasing the desirability of the coin in the eyes of the public, but increasing its value as well.</p><p><br /></p><p>But what do you actually have when you have a coin with one of the special designations ? We&#039;ve got FS or Full Steps for Jeffs, FB or Full Bands for Mercs, FH or Full Head for SLQ&#039;s, and FBL or Full Bell Lines for Frankies - all of them among the most popular coins for collectors. </p><p><br /></p><p>But here&#039;s the thing, a Jeff is labeled FS - but you can&#039;t even see the windows of Monticello. Or maybe only 5 steps are visible instead of the 6 that are supposed to be there. So how in the world can anyone label that coin as being well, or very well struck ? </p><p><br /></p><p>A Merc is labeled FB (used to be FSB but was shortened) but other details of the fasces and or the details of the obv are weak, so how can you label that coin as well or very well struck ?</p><p><br /></p><p>An SLQ is labeled as FH but yet there are rivets on the shield that are not even visible and other details that are weak, so how can you label that coin as well or very well struck ?</p><p><br /></p><p>A Frankie is labeled as FBL but you can&#039;t read Pass and Stow on the bell, the wisp of hair in front of the ear on the obv is non existent and other details are weak, so how can label that coin as well or very well struck ?</p><p><br /></p><p>The answer to all of these questions is simple - you cannot ! But yet they do. And to add insult to injury PCGS has weaker criteria for all of them than NGC does. </p><p><br /></p><p>And the worst part of it is - the public buys into it. They fall all over themselves to buy these coins, and pay more for them, just because they have these meaningless, and I mean truly meaningless, &quot;special designations&quot; on the slabs. When there is nothing special about them ![/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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