1938 Mercury Dime, Toned, FB?, For Grading

MS-64 FSB.

Both PCGS and NGC only require the respective bands to be clearly separated and free of marks or other issues which interfere with that separation. I have never seen a requirement that the bands be "rounded" -- perhaps it's a holdover from older grading systems. I looked at all of my certified FB dimes and out of the (admittedly very small) grouping, only one has the "rounded" look to the bands, and that's a MS67FB PCGS graded example. The others all look more or less like this 1938, some with slightly better definition and "depth" to the split.

I don't really mind if it's FB or not; it's not like I'm sending it out to get slabbed :) The discussion has been very educational, though, and it's interesting to see that what counts as FB vs. non-FB is more subjective than one might think at first glance.

It's amazing to me to see the lack of consensus even among our ranks over FSB. Perhaps I'm tough on what I feel is truly a "Full Split Band" Merc... I agree with the description of the middle bands looking like two loaves of bread atop one another... imagine looking sideways on a 16" sub sandwich... there is a clear (non-flattened) line in the centre where the meat would be, with two well rounded bands (on the edges). This is for Full SPLIT Bands. Non-well defined centre bands with the centre line shown but without the well-rounded loaves can be called a "Full Band" Merc, but not a Fully Split Bands coin. Personally, I'm only interested in the FSB, but they're tough to find.

I was looking on the PCGS site...

To PCGS graders, a Mercury dime with full band details will have fully separated horizontal bands on the central part of the fasces (the bundle of rods on the reverse). In addition, there can be no interruption on the trough (depression) of the bands due to strike, contact, planchet problems or any other damage, whether mint caused or not, if the coin is to obtain the PCGS Full Band designation.

Although the central bands must be fully separated with no interruption, it is not necessary to have full roundness to the bands - the so-called "McDonald's Arches" that are sometimes referred to as Full Split or Full Rounded Bands.