Owner Comments:
Mintage: 38.4 Million
Full Step Availability: 10%
Date/mm Information: While some are attractive and lustrous, most are dogs.
Description:
This coin makes a bold first impression with a strong strike, clean surfaces, and booming luster. There is some softness in the hair detail and the doors of Monticello, and one could argue that some light chatter under the second pillar creates a small bridge between the 3rd and 4th steps. A champagne iridescence blankets both sides of this high end premium gem. The surfaces are very clean and there are no remnant planchet flaws. Only a few very tiny marks on Jeffersons cheek are seen and they are not visible to the naked eye. A premium quality MS66 to be sure.
Comments:
I am not a stickler for the full step designation and rarely concern myself with the debates that rage over whether a particular coin should or should not own a full step designation. That said, this coin is lucky to be designated 5FS. A serious argument could be made that a bridge does exist. But a strike designations are not confirmation of a strong strike and the lack of such designations do not condemn coins to have weak strikes. The plain truth is that this is a well struck coin with incredible step detail. The debate that should rage about this coin is the numerical grade. Personally, I would rather see this coin in an MS67 holder without full steps than the MS66 5FS that it is in now.
On a lighter and much less controversial note, this and all other 1957 & 1958 Jefferson Nickels show a larger star between LIBERTY and the date. A quirky little variation that is mostly unnoticed by most collectors.