Well, I just went on a 45 minute typing rant about full strikes.....

[Leothelion]

and how NGC and PCGS have ignored them when certifying MS65 and higher coins but I decided not to post it.

 

Have a nice day!

 

Leo

[IGWT]

Post your rant so that I can agree with it!

[jtryka]

Whew! That was close!

[cladking]

and how NGC and PCGS have ignored them when certifying MS65 and higher coins but I decided not to post it.

 

Have a nice day!

 

Leo

 

You write it, I'll read it.

 

...And probably agree with it, too.

 

There are a lot of us who like out coins fully struck (or at least 99%). It doesn't seem to matter if half the design is missing because of years in circulation or a moment too little in a coining chamber. How can poor strikes be even choice, much less gems. Grade them MS-30.

[Oldtrader3]

I have some older MS66/67 certified nickels that do not grade as FS, but I did not know that this was still the case.

[RobertB]

I think one set that a full strike is an absolute for in gem status is the Franklin???

[KurtHorn]

I think one set that a full strike is an absolute for in gem status is the Franklin???

 

Other than the FBL who could tell, and FBL designation is frequently not a result of full strike but instead a lack of bag friction.

 

Full strike coins with importance are coins like Full Head Standing Lib quarters, Full steps Jeffs, Fully struck S Mint Walkers with thumb detail and full heads, O mint Morgans with detail above the ear and full eagle breast detail, or early Buff nickels where the horn is full and crisply defined.

 

As to the premise of this thread... It is possible to have a Morgan with virtually no contact marks of any kind, with blazing lustre and terrific eye appeal that may not be fully struck. I would have a problem with such a coin not receiving at least a 65 when if fully struck the coin would probably be at least a 67.

 

-Kurt-