Why doesn't numismedia list prices for full steps jeffersons and give prices for other strike designation coins? I would think it is a pretty widely known designation...
Also keep in mind that NGC used to require 6 full steps for the FS designation. A few years back they caved to public pressure and created the 5FS and 6FS designations. PCGS has always considered 5FS full steps. Therefore, comparing the designation across TPG's is very dangerous because they have different standards and PCGS is decidedly more lenient in their application of the FS designation. IMO, Numismedia would have to provide two different prices for the full step designations. Furthermore, the populations of many NGC full step Jeffersons is so small that it is practically impossible to give an accurate price listing for many dates. The Jefferson series as a whole is very difficult to price using the price guides. PCGS is almost a whole grade tougher with these coins and the poplulation reports support that claim. NGC is much tougher with the FS designation which has the biggest effect on price with respect to Jeffersons. This presents a nightmare when trying to assign a value to a Jefferson Nickel. Let me explain what I mean. Look at this 1949-D graded MS66 FS by PCGS and sold for $138 by Heritage in March, 2009. http://coins.ha.com/common/view_item.php?Sale_No=1126&Lot_No=8044#photo If you look closely at the steps, you will see a bridge on steps 2 & 3 between the third and fourth pillar. No way NGC gives this coin the 5FS designation. If you look at the population reports, PCGS is 67/2 while NGC is 8/0. Obviously, the FS designation on the NGC holder is more rare. Does that mean an NGC MS66 5FS should be more valuable than the PCGS coin which is valued by PCGS price guide at $250? Before you answer, consider that this coin if graded by NGC would almost certainly be an MS67. The surfaces are very clean for a 66 and the luster appears to be oustanding. Luster is very important to NGC's grading of Jefferson Nickels. If you look at the population reports of the non full step 1949-D Jefferson Nickel in MS67, they are reversed. The PCGS population is 6/0 while NGC is 94/0 with a Numismeda tag of only $53 while PCGS price guide is $250. After digesting all that, tell me what the value of that coin is? Collecting high grade Jefferson Nickels is no joke. If you don't know how to grade the coins using both TPG's standards you are a dead duck. Even if you do know, pricing the coins is best accomplished by looking at all of the price guides in combination with past auction prices realized. I know this is way more than you asked for but I think it is good information for anyone interested in Jefferson Nickels to know.
