Henning nickel weights
ranshdow
Posts: 1,442 ✭✭✭✭
I've read that one of the diagnostics of a Henning nickel is that it's overweight- 5.5g vs. a standard nickel's weight of 5g. I came across an odd, mildly mushy 1953 nickel the other day so I decided to weigh it on an analytical balance in the lab. The results:
1944 Henning: 5.18g
1953 oddball nickel: 5.02g
1939 "positive control" nickel: 4.88g
Now I feel like I need to go weigh a handful on non-silver nickels to find out how many SDs beyond the mean this 1953 oddball nickel weighs, but before I do that... does anyone have a bunch of data on Henning vs. genuine nickel weights? Or tried this before?
Here's some junky pictures of the oddball. It doesn't have the "R" diagnostic but some of the lettering is mushy. Could be PMD:
0
Comments
It seems to have a small clip on it.
JBK- yes, the rim is dented in three dimensions in that spot. But that would not make it heavier than a standard nickel (if it is in fact significantly heavier).
Most of the Hennings have a small loop at the R in Pluribus. There are several dates, but 1944 is the most prevalent.
Dead Cat Waltz Exonumia
"Coin collecting for outcasts..."
I must respectfully disagree. A significant % (majority? half? many?) of KNOWN Hennings have the defective R, but the vast majority of Henning nickels were and are undetected.
Henning reportedly used 6 different reverse and 6 different obverse dies (five dates are known, so the 6th die might have been the same date as one other).
The 1944 is the best known and stands out in defective and non-defective Rs because it lacks the reverse mintmark of wartime silver nickels. Other dates are identifiable if they were struck with the defective R reverse die, but otherwise they passed undetected.
I don't know but I have two some where here are some old pic sorry I took them when I first started posting way back when. There are two types one with the hole on the leg of the "R" and one with out the hole they are cool but I never saw a UNC one all I have ever seen are worn.
Hoard the keys.
I think they were made to look worn. He must have cast them from circulated coins. He just matched the wrong obverse (1944) to any of the reverse dies, which of course drew attention.
Dead Cat Waltz Exonumia
"Coin collecting for outcasts..."
Agreed. Genuine coin with a small clip.
The weight tolerance on a nickel is about 0.2 grams.
I just realized that even though I have owned several Hennings, I did not think to weigh them.
I have a "friend" who has a nearly mint state Henning. It has excellent details but the surfaces do have slight imperfections.
A link to more Henning Nickel info.
http://www.error-ref.com/henning-counterfeit-nickel/
I'd love to see a picture of a near-mint Henning.
Ok, I'll ask. Why counterfeit a nickel? I understand a nickel was worth more than but why?
"I spent 50% of my money on alcohol, women, and gambling. The other half I wasted.
Less noticeable and still profitable in quantity. If not for the 1944 without the P mintmark, would he have ever been caught?
"To Be Esteemed Be Useful" - 1792 Birch Cent --- "I personally think we developed language because of our deep need to complain." - Lily Tomlin
This, except that I have heard that he never made a profit on the venture.
And a nickel was worth more then. A lot of people worked for a dollar an hour in the early 50's.
Minor coins were weighed in bulk with occasional test pieces removed. The range of individual pieces was tight enough to satisfy the law and vending machine companies.
When my "friend" finds it I will post a pic.
I have heard that he may have actually lost money making nickels. I have also heard that the Secret Service found a lot of blanks and turned them over to the mint and they were coined into nickels. The struck coins were allegedly dumped somewhere.
I think he was on target to make a cent or so per coin but was shut down while upside down on his "investment".
As for the unstruck blanks, they were reportedly turned over to the mint but they were melted and brought to proper alloy rather than used as is.
Ive told this story before, but apparently at his sentencing the judge asked Henning why he got into counterfeiting.
His answer?
He had to pay for the counterfeiting equipment somehow!
Dead Cat Waltz Exonumia
"Coin collecting for outcasts..."
It seems like a stupid answer but you really can't argue with the logic.
Problem with weights is most probably circulated. Just came across two of mine while looking for something else.
I'll look for more as they are around.
2 1944's different dies, one w/hole in "R".
Fine 15: 4.67
VG 10, Buffed: 5.31