Amen...agree...and I'm not particularly picky about them. They're either FULL, end-to-end across, or they're not. I have the feeling this may be what's called a trick question of some sort/purpose. Will add this...not sure for how long the "edit" is good for: There appears to be a shadow in many of the photos, across the bottom of the step sets, partially if not totally obscuring the bottom step or steps, if there are any...so hard to tell. Also, I don't know how PCGS interprets...one grader to another on any given day/coin...what is/isn't "shallow marks"...or is/isn't "not too deep"...etc. What's "shallow" or "deep" from one opinion/assessment/interpretation to another...?
Then only steps in this entire exercise that have large sections missing are the 6th and final step, which isn't required to be full by either NGC or PCGS to qualify for the full steps designation. Everyone of these coins is either full steps or close enough to full steps to warrant submission to PCGS. The premise that these coins are not full step because "large sections (33%-60%) or more blotted out" is patently false. Shown below is an example of a coin with six full steps followed by a coin with only 5 full steps. Jefferson Nickel with 6 Full Steps: Jefferson Nickel with 5 Full Steps: In the second photo, almost the entire 6th step is missing, but the coin still qualifies for FS by PCGS and 5FS by NGC, it doesn't matter that the final step is "blotted out." I am not trying to pick on you, but I felt the need to respond because your comment is extremely misleading and is going to confuse the heck out of other people. PS: Which one did you give Full Steps?
I guess I'm old school, but I see two I'd call 5 steppers, but none I would consider Six Full Steps, though I vaguely recall a modification to the steps at some point. So it's possible those are older and never had six steps. Of course after RK in the 80s, I often see 96 steps... (2 eyes x 8 incisions x 6 steps)
Hey Lehigh.....I am not at all a collector of this coin but I wanted to GTG....so I hope I didn't screw up your thread. I actually see only 5 steps on your 6 FS nickel....I guess I am not counting/seeing the top 6th step. On the 5 step nickel....I'm seeing 4 full ones and that 1st step seems mostly "blacked out" so I may not have counted it. But did you count this as 5 steps because of that step or the "6th step" at the top which I also didn't count on the 6 step nickel ? That 6th top step in both nickels is confusing me....it's much "thicker" than the others so I wasn't sure it was a step or part of the building or landing. I believe it was Nickel #5 that I saw 5 full steps.....I just got home, I'm double-checking.
No biggie, and you didn't mess up the thread, but I knew you were referring to the 6th step with your comment and just wanted to clarify that the 6th step doesn't mean anything in relation to the PCGS FS designation. When you count steps, you count the complete lines that you can see and then add one to that total to get the number of steps. So in the first example I showed, there are 5 complete lines which would equal 6 full steps. The second photo only shows 4 complete lines equaling 5 full steps. The counting of the steps starts from the top and works downwards, so the 4th line separates the 4th and 5th steps, with the 4th step being above the line and the 5th below it.
This is looking through packaging at a 1958 Proof. This is borderline to me. ps Not having the same standards as a TPG is nothing new for me. So if your question is how a TPG will grade the steps, then my opinion is worthless. It's the difference between whether they WILL grade something FS and whether they SHOULD grade something FS. TPGs are first and foremost businesses designed to make money. If the market says you aren't giving out enough FS designations, you lower your standards. If the market says you give out too many, you raise your standards. This is are business decisions, not numismatic decisions. I'm beginning to think there are far more businessmen than numismatists in the hobby. End rant.
The line represents the riser, and if the riser is complete, then the step above & below must be complete.