No fg Kennedy halves - soft ring around jfk head 0

[kellyt]

I’ve come across Kennedy halves with no FG. I know there’s big debate on what constitutes a no fg. I have a 30x loop, with it I can make out where something use to be or something that could have been. But can’t tell if it’s fg. That being said, I doubt a 5x can make it out. If any knowledge on that please share. Okay so here’s my main question how do you tell if it’s a mint error or if it’s because it’s over cleaned. Like acid washed it off or ate the fg up. (Sry this is so long, but trying to tell if a coin is cleaned or not as well) I’ve come across a few coins with a ghosting ring around Kennedy’s head. The five no fg’s I’ve ran up on have had it. I’ll show pics of two I have now. Is this a sign it has been cleaned which could be evidence it’s a fake or accidental no fg or does this sometimes happen with dies that have been messed with or polished too much? (Edit: found same ring around the 1976 hall and the “e” and “h” missing. Pics of it at bottom)

Edited September 25, 2021 by kellyt

[RWB]

The result you see on the Kennedy half comes from partial collapse of the die during use. The cause is incomplete hardening and tempering of a die during manufacture which makes part of the interior softer than the rest. Softer steel is displaced more than harder steel and coins struck from that die resemble the one you posted.

Missing FG results from excess resurfacing of the die to remove superficial damage such as cracks. Fine details can be removed in this way. Missing letters from Independence are likely from those letters being filled with gunk during use. There's no collector premium except in a very high state of preservation - which your coins are not.

[Greenstang]

Have to agree with everything RWB says.

The ghosting is known as "Progressive Indirect Die Transfer"

If you look closely at the third photo, you can faintly see the initials FG, probably missing  from overpolishing.

The missing CH is from a partially grease filled die.

No value but you can keep as an educational piece.

 

[Mohawk]

Roger and Greenstang have this one right on all counts.

[DWLange]

The 1972-D half meets NGC's criteria for a "NO FG" designation, but this is not rare and adds little value. It's more of a personal choice as to having it graded and attributed.