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Nickle weighing 5.3 grams

Hello I have a 1987 jefferson nickle weighing at 5.2 almost 5.3 with a thick rim. Could I get some advice

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  • ɹoʇɔǝlloɔɹoʇɔǝlloɔ Posts: 1,436 ✭✭✭✭✭

    wow - weird - ATS 12 yrs ago, someone shared this; an 87-D rolled thick planchet, but weighing 5.7 g

    and then, on another forum a couple yrs ago, someone says this as a response to someone asking about a nickel weighing 5.3-5.4 g

    "Scales which weigh to 2 decimals in grams are more helpful. Those which weigh to only one decimal leave room for inaccuracy because of rounding. Expected weight is 5.000 g +/- 0.194 g This coin may be on a slightly rolled thick planchet. The likelihood is that it is not rolled thick enough to be collectible. Expected thickness is 1.95 mm +/-0.102 mm. If the thickness of the coin exceeds these parameters then it would be considered collectible. (Cited from: https://www.cointalk.com/threads/just-a-heavy-nickel.351408/)"

    do you have digital calipers to measure thickness of your nickel?

  • No but I think I will invest it definitely weighs 5.3. It's strange that these are both 1987

  • AUandAGAUandAG Posts: 24,801 ✭✭✭✭✭

    can you sandwich between a couple of regular nickels and take a pic for us?

    bob :)

    Registry: CC lowballs (boblindstrom), bobinvegas1989@yahoo.com
  • ɹoʇɔǝlloɔɹoʇɔǝlloɔ Posts: 1,436 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @AUandAG said:
    can you sandwich between a couple of regular nickels and take a pic for us?

    bob :)

    smart way to 'measure' the thickness 💪🧠

  • JBKJBK Posts: 15,803 ✭✭✭✭✭

    In most cases a thick rim is just a sign of a well struck coin (check out proof coins).

  • OldhoopsterOldhoopster Posts: 2,930 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Zoee said:
    Hello I have a 1987 jefferson nickle weighing at 5.2 almost 5.3 with a thick rim. Could I get some advice

    @Zoee said:
    No but I think I will invest it definitely weighs 5.3. It's strange that these are both 1987

    Does it weigh 5.2 or 5.3 on your scale?

    As stated earlier, the weight tolerance is +/- 0.194 grams, so a nickel weighing 5.194 gms is in spec. If it weighs 5.2 gms on a level, calibrated scale with a 0.1 gm resolution, it may or may not be out of spec. Even if it's overweight by a few hundredths of a gram, it would be a very minor error and not add any extra value

    Member of the ANA since 1982
  • Hello I also have found a beautiful 1987D nickel that weighs 5.2. My scale is accurate. My other nickels weigh 5.00grams

  • jmlanzafjmlanzaf Posts: 35,085 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Fitzon00 said:
    Hello I also have found a beautiful 1987D nickel that weighs 5.2. My scale is accurate. My other nickels weigh 5.00grams

    Within tolerance

  • GreenstangGreenstang Posts: 1,214 ✭✭✭✭✭

    You have to coins to two decimal points.
    5.2 g could easily be 5.17 which would be within the tolerance of 5.19g

  • BStrauss3BStrauss3 Posts: 3,509 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Oldhoopster said:
    As stated earlier, the weight tolerance is +/- 0.194 grams, so a nickel weighing 5.194 gms is in spec. If it weighs 5.2 gms on a level, calibrated scale with a 0.1 gm resolution, it may or may not be out of spec. Even if it's overweight by a few hundredths of a gram, it would be a very minor error and not add any extra value

    Also - tolerance is not specified generally in the law, especially for minor coins (Secretary's discretion). And generally, tolerance has a percentage attached to it, allowing for some percentage of pieces to be heavy or light.

    If you take 0.194 to be 2 standard deviations (a normal distribution will have 95% of items within 2 SD plus or minus around the mean - this is a slight fudge, but commonly used)... 99.7% will be within 3 standard deviations (or 0.291g) and thus out of 1,000 coins...

    950 will be between 4.709 and 5.194
    a further 23.5 will be between 4.612 and 4.806 and 23.5 between 5.194 and 5.291.
    3 will be under 4.709 or over 5.291...

    With those #s you cannot say the process is out of control. Now any given sample of 1,000 coins might have a different distribution - it's only mathematically value for the entire population.

    For precious metal coins, the tolerance isn't actually specified either, but a floor is given - so you never get a short-weight gold coin.

    -----Burton
    ANA 50 year/Life Member (now "Emeritus")

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