I'm surprised borgovan does not contribute to this thread. I recently bought (great experiance for me) some Jeffs from him and he mentioned the steps in his grading. Having no idea what he was talking about I asked him and he was very detailed in his response to me. This thread is good timing for me. I learned something. Problem is when I learn something I have to push smething out. I hope it's not my way home from work.
You know JC, that's a good idea to print keeper threads, think I will start that system myself, with this one being the first addition. Thanks
rlowe: I'll throw in my two cents. I gave a brief interview on this subject, and following are excerpts (my words) that may be applicable to your learning to determine steps: "While there are varying opinions on exactly what constitutes full steps, the market has generally decided that 5 full steps, without breaks, is acceptable. Most technically, the design has 6 steps, but for many dates in the series, 6-step coins are unknown. Collectors, then, seek the best coins they can find, which often results in having to use a 5-step coin, or sometimes even 4." "If you look at the reverse of a nickel from 1938-2003 (the design changed in 2004), look closely at the steps of Monticello. You will hopefully see horizontal lines that represent the steps. These steps are supposed to be complete, from left to right, going under all 4 pillars, completely uninterrupted. They do not have to be strong, just complete. I highly recommend you use a loupe or magnifying glass (I use a 10x loupe) to look at the steps, as small details are important here. You don’t want to have any nicks breaking the continuity of the steps." Here's the reference if you want the whole article, or more information: http://www.coinblogger.com/interview-with-bernard-orgovan-a-jefferson-nickel-expert/
Hey, Jim. Glad to hear from you. Haven't seen you around in awhile. Many thanks. It's not my blog, though. I was just interviewed for the piece.
