Found this raw GEM for $17...... I said ok, I'll take it...... Up first is the Obverse. This coin has booming luster and looks as if it was just minted.... the Fields are very hit free, but notice that it has a soft strike, which was common for the year 1945 in Winged Liberty Dimes: You can see softness in the lettering, particularly the 'in God We Trust' and even in Lady Libertys face and mouth.... Very sharply struck 45's are a tough find.... Now for the Reverse: Now the Reverse has a sharp strike. This coin had some Obverse die wear as opposed to this sharp Reverse. This coin is a nice Full Split Band which is typically found soft in a 45 d. A 45 P in FSB is a major rarity, but it is also tough to find nicely split bands even on a 45 d. You can see some very small hits on the fasces. Here is a close-up of the Fasces with Full Split Bands: As you can see, the bands are very nice on this one. Lack of full split bands doesn’t mean a coin isn’t mint-state, often, it simply denotes a weak strike. The bands can be a checkpoint for wear, since they are so high and exposed. Other spots to check are Liberty’s hair and the area in front of her ear. Depending on the year different strike characteristics will result. Often novice graders may see a weak strike as wear, if you are interested in collecting these little JEWELs, I suggest getting a good book as a resource that will teach you about the strike characteristics of each year and mint mark. Happy Collecting.. QUEENKOIN, QUEEN OF KOINS
I wanted to add I grade this GEM a solid ms66fsb coin.... I believe the softness on the Obverse with the few minor ticks keeps this one out of a seven holder.... but it is close... This one is knocking on the door of the ms67 Ultra Gem status..... Its going into my Wayte Raymond National coin album....
