I'm curious @Lehigh96, which do you feel deserved the FS notation. You submitted all of them so clearly you thought they could all get it...but which do you feel especially snubbed by?
I agree with you on the absurd grades on the last 3. The two 64's are easily 65's and the 65, with all the marks should be 64 at best. With Jefferson nickels, I wonder if PCGS uses it's least experienced graders for the series.
Coin #2: This coin is MS66/67 FS all day long, and there is no wheel mark. Coin #4: This coin looks much better in hand and the steps are clearly FS. Coin #6: This coin has one tiny little mark under the 3rd pillar, but is exactly the type of marks that PCGS routinely allows. I was expecting MS67FS on this coin, it is amazing with tremendous luster. Coin #7: This one really ticked me off. I was expecting MS65FS and hoping for a monster MS66FS. What did I get, MS64. GTFOH, that is crazy. No way this isn't a gem and again, one tiny little mark exists on the steps above the "T". I was expecting a $400 coin with a shot at $7K and got a coin that didn't even cover the grading fee. Coin #9: This coin has several very shallow marks, but none that really break the continuity of the lines and the MS64 grade is absurd.
I agree with most of your comments. I had a beautiful 1938-D Buffalo that came back Wheel Mark - Unc details. I thought it was a solid MS67; possibly 67+.
I originally said no FS on any of them and that I’m tough on that. I agree with them, as I see something on each coins steps that, in my opinion, hold them back from a FS designation. I completely agree with @Lehigh96 that the grade on the last 3 is absurd. I also do not see a wheel mark on coin 2. Despite my no FS feelings I think all of these coins are beautiful and well struck.
I agree with most of those...4, 6, 9 I was fairly sure about with 7 being close. Coin #2, while I don't see the wheel mark either, I question the steps (there just seems to be too much going on under the second and third columns).
Can you post full photos of #2 both sides. I don't see any evidence of a wheel mark on the obverse or the portion of the reverse you posted initially. I'm curious to see if I can figure out what they detailed the coin for. The cheek on coin #7 is a little dinged up. MS64 surprises me...but 66 would have to. I would have thought 65FS on that one.
The issues is that several of these are what PCGS routinely calls FS. I think the point here is the grading isn't consistent.
That coin was the subject of a previous GTG thread and the photos are posted therein. GTG 1938-D Jefferson Nickel (PCGS)
I suspect you'd get different findings each time you submitted them. TPGs make money on resubmissions and crossovers.
I agree that the grading is not consistent but I am personally very hard on the FS designation and to me, none of these coins are FS. I’ve seen many a FS coin by a TPG but not so in my book.
But our personal standards wasn’t the question here. The Jefferson Nickel has 6 steps. So one could argue how could a coin be FS is all 6 aren’t there. But that’s not how PCGS does it.
Ok. I’m guessing the mark is on the obverse right next to the rim between. “In” and Jeff’s coat. But that’s a pretty weak thing to body bag the coin over.
But the "Standards" used by each TPG fluctuate from submission to submission. Which pretty much means they have no standard, just a lottery.