Howdy Ya'll, Here is a guess the grade---if you know your set, and what it takes to grade these later dates I think you won't have much of a problem! This coin is graded by NGC. What do YOU grade it? What did NGC grade it? and if you want to....WHY? Have fun! Speedy
I'd say its an MS-65, but I'll bet NGC went MS-65 FBL. I don't think I would say FBL because the lines fade out towards the left of the bell. They aren't strong like they are on the right. Its a beauty thought.
Speedy do you know if they fixed the master hub before minting the '62 coins or in the middle , yours is a really good strike ! rzage
I believe that of course the hub was first fixed in 1948...then it was re-done in the middle to late 50's. I use to have the dates but my email program crashed the other day and I'm still in the middle of getting my files back. I can't lay my finger on it in my books...but maybe Doug will stop by. As far as I know, the fix in the 50's was the last time the main hub was re-done. If you like this strike, you would LOVE one I pulled out of the roll the other day. Speedy
I would say NGC MS-65 and NO FBL because of the ding through the lines on the right hand side of the crack. It completely interrupts the bell lines and therefore precludes the coin from this superlative designation.
MS 65 is my guess, but a 64 wouldn't surprise me. Reverse is a lock 65, but the obverse has a bit too much cheek friction for a 65 in my opinion -- thus the confusion....
I thinks its a great strike too. MS66 at least. Both for me and NGC. But I think hasnt full bell lines.
Frankie Proofs changed in 1956 from type 1 to type 2. Some business strikes also are type 2 in '58 & '59. A new obverse hub was done in 1960 to restore detail.
The Full Bell Lines (FBL) designation for Franklins is determined by strike quality and not condition. While there is some limited debate as to how clearly the lines must present themselves to be considered full, unless the bag mark(s) prevent you from determining the strike quality they do not factor into the FBL designation. I realize this stands in stark contrast to designations like FS on Jeffersons. However, it works very well for Franlklins as the intent is to indicate an excellent strike for the entire coin. Other areas have been considered for this strike quality litmus test (the hair above the ear, the words pass and stow on the bell). So, when you purchase a FBL Franklin, you are getting a coin that is on the whole an above average, if not an excellent strike, and not one where a hard to see feature on the reverse is in pristine condition.
In: The Complete Guide To Franklin Half Dollars by Rick Tomaska....page 218-219....David Lange is talking about NGC standards for FBL. "NGC's standard for declaring that a Franklin Half has full bell lines is in line with that generally acepted by the coin market. Specifically, all of these lines mst be visible along their entire lengths to within a short distance to the left and right of the bell's crack. Whether from weak striking or abrasion, no more than a couple of small intrruptions in the lines are permitted, except as noted abovewith respect to the bell's crack." Speedy