Full Step Information

My apologies to varietynickel.com. But I wanted to ask the step collectors if these two charts make sense. I just wanted to get something down that would specify what Full Steps is and isn't.

 

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I'm sorry, no, what I meant is I have attached the chart entitled Bold, I created this because of the confusing and hidden definitions of the phrase "Full Steps". There are actually five categories of full steps, that eventually the collector will figure out, usually after spending much more than they should. I put this together because I have never found a distinct breakdown or summary as to what each category of steps is. Even the link you provided leaves one's head spinning as to what it's trying to tell you, puts together a confusing layout and doesn't address the categories. I put this one together myself and was looking for corroboration from other Full Step Collectors.

Full Step (FS) -6 Full Steps (Full Step or (FS)) - 6 full steps, no marks
5 - 5+ Step -5 Full Steps (FS) - 5 full steps, no marks
5 - 5+ Step -5 Full Steps (Not FS) -5 full steps only nicks/ticks
5 - 5+ Step -5 Full Steps (Almost Full Step) - 5 full steps nicks/ticks/cuts/bridges.
0 - 4+ Step -less than 5 full steps nicks/ticks/cuts/bridges

The second chart called Ticks is a very fine resource from the varietynickels.com website.

I didn't mean to put a post together that sounded like I didn't have a clue what was going on, and that it made you make that assumption.

 

The Bold doc is a little confusing to me I don't see where you can have 5 full steps and not be considered full step? The TPG's SEGS excluded do not consider (Bridges) (Deep cuts and Nicks) as a full step.
For example if you have a bridge on the four and fithe step then you might have 5-5-4-5 step count not 5-5-5-5 w/bridges.
Of course what TPG your dealing with determined what they classify as full step. I personally consider any nickel with no step count lower then 5 in any quarter as a Full Step coin. My collection has several nice step coins that I don't consider full but happen to be the best I have found to date.
For some years you shouldn't settle for anything less than 6 full steps with no marks i.e. 1940D, 1943D for a couple and others if you find a 5-4-4-5 with small marks your doing good. Unless you are buying TPG FS nickels from PCGS, NGC or ANACS, I would exspect a minimuim of 5-5-5-5 step count with no major marks (Thats what the big premium is for).
That's just MHO.

 

Some of the collectors that I have corresponded with believe the only time that bridges and cuts are allowed is when a coin is considered 5 Full Steps (almost full steps). I've been told this category is primarily used by collectors when the nickel is more or less close, but the rarity is taken into factor. TPG's do not consider this as Full Steps at all. I just list this as alot of my coins fall into this category, and it gives me an excuse to count them. Plus as you have said, for many years (early mid sixties etc) this is probably the best you can do.

I totally agree..

 

I agree, the problem is the only coins your going to find with 6 full steps are very early 40's (40-41-42) and post 1987. If you do by chance find a 6 step 1954-S you've just won the lottery. The 5 full steps sort of give each nickel a level playing field with the others, even then.. finding 5 full steps is near impossible with some dates. This summer one man went through 1800 1968 mint sets and found one (1) nickel with full steps that he had PCGS graded. That single nickel was estimated worth $37,000.00.

 

I agree with this in a way. There are 6 steps and full steps should mean all six however many years wiould never have full steps. PCGS and NGC call 5 full steps FS (IMHO ANACS has always treated the Jefferson series better). That being said I think if they all used the 4 quarter number count instead of having FS or nothing, or 5 steps, 5.5 steps and the like, would do the Full Step collectors a great service.

 

You have to love Teletrade.. where else can you get a PCGS MS64 FS 1974-P nickel for $6

 

I just don't care for there fee structure $$$$.

 

Ok I fibbed a bit, the nickel was 6$, 8$ Teletrade fee, and $4 shipping, so it was $18.00. I'm not too excited about the fee either. It basically just means that whatever you buy is going to be $8.00 before you even bid on it. Oh well such is life...

I usually just write off the fee, and ignore the shipping. I wish I had a nickel for every nickel I spent on shipping.. I'd be rich

 

OK.. very confused. Bought and received a PCGS MS64 1974P FS nickel. Looked at it closely and there is a big ol ugly bridge sitting right in the middle of it. My understanding is FS nickels can't have bridges.. any information?

 

The 1960-D PCGS MS-64FS nickel in the recent Bowers and Merena sale only brought $10,000. Most of the experts knew it wasn't a true FS. Personally, I think the TPGs should switch to the Full Details designation.

Charlie

 

1960-D?, I myself have a 5-5-5-5 60-D (with a very bad cut in the second pillar) and I went through 8 rolls of 60-D's to find it. I may have paid like $8 a roll for BU 60-D's. Although still not a full-step, I mark it as an almost full step, and for the medium-long term will be happy with it

Maybe it was a 60-P or a 61-P. Those are pretty hard in FS, but I think you could shake one loose for $2K.

 

If you can see the line although weak I think it is still considered there and not a bridge. I personally have not purchased many FS slabed Jeffersons for this reason. I bought a few from different TPG services years ago to see how they graded compared to my personal standard, I guess I undergrade! I liked ANACS then PCGS & NGC started to address the steps but in MHO don't do it justice. I bought a few IGC graded Jeffersons a couple of years ago on ebay for a few dollars and was pleased with what I got and there grading I was kind of expecting over graded junk.
Again I wish all TPG's would go to a more discriptive designation other than FS or nothing.

 

Glaciermi, it was 60-D. It was inside the front cover of Coin World's December 5 issue. In the ad, it says that it is the only 60-D to receive the FS designation from PCGS.

Charlie

 

Your right.. Oh well.. I should be happy I almost have one

 

I do like SEGS for step counting. I have to admit, I tend to not care much what the grade is (an EF with 5 full steps is nicer than an MS69 with 4.75), I put all the value in the steps. On the other hand I'm afraid I overgrade my steps alot. IMO 95% of my collection is still junk, and there are only 12 coins out of the series that I have that have less than 5 steps.

 

Old Post

I know I'm responding to an old post but varietynickel.com does not seem to exist anymore. At least my Firefox browser couldn't find it.