Merc Crazy should be receiving my coin today to take some high quality photos for all of us to see. Maybe he will be able to have them up soon.
Yes, the fasces, blade, and mintmark are the focal areas of the reverse of a Mercury Dime. This is not my opinion, it comes directly from THE PCGS OFFICIAL GUIDE TO COIN GRADING AND COUNTERFEIT DETECTION. After these, areas, next in importance are the open fields. All hits on the lettering and branches are least important.
If you have a nick between the bands or on a band, it will grade lower than if you have a nick on the top of the bottom of the reeding, especially if it only affects a single reed. Ruben
PCGS published standards indicate that the entire area is the focal area, but in practice, I bet you are right that hits on the bands are treated as an even more important focal area.
We had some uh, drama, USPS style. But I went and picked it up at the Post Office today. I'll have pics up sometime tonight hopefully.
Quick pics I took; Initial impression; Great coin. 65FB. Surfaces have nice luster and are semi-PL. The area to the left of IGWT is an issue, but should come off with proper conservation. I'd send it to NCS and on to PCGS.
WOW! These initial pics look great. Way better than anything I can even come close to with my equipment. The die polish marks from the chin to GOD even shop up well. I do have an ANA membership and sending it to NCS sounds like a good idea to me. Thanks for posting!
I think it could be removed safely, hence why I suggest sending it to NGC. Too valuable of a coin to fool with yourself... if it was a common BU non-FB merc, I'd leave that sucker in acetone for a week, then try to get it off with a toothpick... I'd also probably give it a quick dip to bring out more luster. But that's just me.
If it was a 1945 MS70FSB, then you would want to get it slabbed. You do have a nice coin. Any 1945 FSB needs to be slabbed.
I plan on getting it slabbed. It is Micro-s which commands a pretty strong premium if it is worthy of MS65 and FSB which, in my limitied opinion, I think it has a fair shot at.