1952 Jefferson Nickel 4.6 grams... Any thoughts?
vent
Posts: 23 ✭
in Q & A Forum
I have a 1952 nickel that weighs 4.6 grams. Its not worn down and I've used two scales. Any thoughts?
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Comments
Planchet started a bit on the light side and then 67 years of circulation wear.
EDGE: Plain
DIAMETER: 21.20 millimeters
WEIGHT: 5.00 grams
MINTAGE: 63,988,000
MINT: Philadelphia
METAL: 75% Copper, 25% Nickel
Just looks like a well circulated nickel. Has your scale been calibrated recently? The mint does have tolerances on planchet weights but I don't have them handy.
Henning Issue?
Too light, year, R, and crack for Henning, IMO.
Henning made several fakes. The "R" is not diagnostic for some of them.
I think he made 6 obverse and 6 reverse dies. One of the reverse dies had the defective R. Only five dates are known (not sure if this date is one of them), so either one date was used on two dies, or one has yet to be discovered.
As far as I know, Hennings ran on the heavy side.
Henning’s are heavier. OP’s coin is not likely a Henning.
Henning Nickel
In the mid-1950s Francis LeRoy Henning of Erial, New Jersey minted what is now known as the “Henning” Nickel. He made counterfeit nickels dated 1939, 1944, 1946, 1947 and 1953. The 1944 nickels were quickly spotted since Henning neglected to add the large Mint Mark.
The 1944 Henning Nickel is easy to spot because of the missing Mint Mark. But the other dates 1939, 1946, 1947 and 1953 are more difficult. These are identified by a mistake on the die that Henning made that has a void/low spot in the “r” on “pluribus” on the reverse side which gives it a very distinct look but not all reverse die have this mistake. The Counterfeit’s Weight is ~5.4 grams while the Jefferson Nickel is ~5.0 grams.
http://www.error-ref.com/henning-counterfeit-nickel/
Looks like 0.4 grams of wear to me.
Have you tried a new nickel?
I'm 75 years old, so there is nothing new about me.