Posted 10/14/2020 7:45 pm
I would personally check out a few other examples to compare. This one is weakly struck. The scratches on this one appear to be die polishing lines (notice how they do not pass over the devices and look to be raised as well).
The tick marks that are on the shoulder, beard, and hair, and cheek (all of your high points) are planchet marks, that were not removed during the strike of the coin. Very common to see this on weakly struck coin (you see it a lot on nickel coins due to the hardness. Eg. stairs on Jefferson's, shoulder of the buffalo on Buffalo nickels). This is also what is seen on the reverse (steps and fields below the steps).
Fields are clean. I see a hit west of Lincoln's head and a hit across the steps. I would personally say 65 on this one. Technically speaking, 66 isn't unreasonable, but it's very much lacking in the eye appeal department in my book.
Just my 2 cents.
Edit: I would pick a couple of what you feel are the highest quality and post them!
The tick marks that are on the shoulder, beard, and hair, and cheek (all of your high points) are planchet marks, that were not removed during the strike of the coin. Very common to see this on weakly struck coin (you see it a lot on nickel coins due to the hardness. Eg. stairs on Jefferson's, shoulder of the buffalo on Buffalo nickels). This is also what is seen on the reverse (steps and fields below the steps).
Fields are clean. I see a hit west of Lincoln's head and a hit across the steps. I would personally say 65 on this one. Technically speaking, 66 isn't unreasonable, but it's very much lacking in the eye appeal department in my book.
Just my 2 cents.
Edit: I would pick a couple of what you feel are the highest quality and post them!
Edited by Ty2020b
10/14/2020 7:49 pm
10/14/2020 7:49 pm
Many of the marks you see on the 
