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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Lehigh96, post: 3641531, member: 15309&quot;]The 1st line delineates the 1st step (above the line) and the 2nd step (below the line).&nbsp; There are five lines on the coin which results in 6 steps.&nbsp; So the 6th step is the raised portion below the 5th line.&nbsp; That step does not need to be complete in order to achieve full steps status.&nbsp; PCGS will call a coin with 4 complete lines a FS coin while NGC uses the 5FS designation.&nbsp; If the 5th line is complete, then only NGC further recognizes this by applying the 6FS designation.</p><p><br /></p><p>The best way to think of steps is to use the PAK quarterstep method, where you divide the steps into 4 quarters by drawing 3 vertical lines in between the pillars.&nbsp; Then when providing an analysis of the steps, there are 4 numbers rather than just one.&nbsp; Let&#039;s use two 1940-D Jefferson Nickels as examples.&nbsp; The first will be the subject of this thread and the second will be my registry coin.</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://i.imgur.com/vnRjxbc.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>The quarterstep method for this coin yields 6-6-6-6.&nbsp; In each quadrant, the coin shows 6 complete steps without any hits deep enough to interrupt the step and without any bridging.</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://i.imgur.com/7jaPOUC.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>This coin is my registry coin and grades NGC MS67 5FS just like the coin shown above.&nbsp; But when compared to the coin above and applying the quarterstep method, we can clear see the difference as this coin grades 6-5-5-6.</p><p><br /></p><p>We can clearly see that the 6th step is incomplete starting at the 2nd pillar extending all the way over to between the C &amp; E of MONTICELLO.</p><p><br /></p><p>Now, just to make things a little more complicated, here is a photo of yet another 1940-D Jefferson Nickel that grades NGC MS67 6FS.</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://i.imgur.com/Dgw0KKP.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>The steps are complete, including the 5th step, but there is very clearly a hit on the 5th &amp; 6th step above the E in MONTICELLO.&nbsp; This is where the severity or depth of the hit comes into play.&nbsp; NGC decided that the hit was shallow enough that it should not affect the 6FS designation.&nbsp; The fact that this coin no longer resides in my registry collection should let you know that I disagree with their assessment.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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