NEWP - 1944 Jefferson Nickel
Rampage
Posts: 9,476 ✭✭✭✭✭
I was (and still am!) delighted to pick up this scarcity a month or so ago. Anyone else collect these?
12
Rampage
Posts: 9,476 ✭✭✭✭✭
Comments
Yup.
Nice Henning.
http://www.pcgs.com/SetRegistry/publishedset.aspx?s=142753
https://www.autismforums.com/media/albums/acrylic-colors-by-rocco.291/
I love the Henning's.
Good find. I have never come across one. Thought I might one day find one in a Coinstar reject slot..... Cheers, RickO
I have to dig mine out someday and take some pictures.
I have a high grade 1944 (not quite as high grade as DCarr's example) and also one that shows major (catastrophic) die deterioration on the obverse.
@drei3ree Nice coin!
Thanks all.
I have never found one. Did the seller realize it?
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
The seller knew it. I feel like I got a very fair deal for it.
I'm afraid to ask and i don't expect you to offer, but I'm afraid to know what constitutes a "fair deal" on Hennings these days.
Twenty years ago these could be had for around $15-$25.
I bought it for $40. Fair? Not fair? It does not matter really. I always wanted one and now I have one.
In today's market, based on what they appear to be selling for on ebay, $40 seems very unfair - to the seller!
I'd say you did pretty well.
eBay shows 9 sales recently, $150-$200 each. Yeah, you did good.
The seller (a normal B and M) did not really care. He had it for well over 10 years. I remember when he originally got it ( I was in the shop that day). He put it in a 2x2 and never did anything with it. I was digging through some of his 2x2 boxes and saw it in there and we both laughed. So, he looked on eBay and gave me the $40 offer, so I jumped at it.
Are you going to submit it?
Great pick-up!
An authorized PCGS dealer, and a contributor to the Red Book.
Sorry. What are we looking at?
Link to 1950 - 1964 Proof Registry Set
1938 - 1964 Proof Jeffersons w/ Varieties
@badger
https://coinweek.com/counterfeits/a-collectible-counterfeit-the-story-of-henning-nickels/
That link above will explain it all. It is a very well-known counterfeit. I do not know which are more famous or collected...the Hennings, or the Micro-O Morgans. Either way, they are cool. Counterfeit yes, but the stories behind them make them more than a run-of-the-mill counterfeit. Hence, their collectability.
It is counterfeit, so it will not get into a slab at NGC or PCGS. I do not know if any of the other three services (ANACS, ICG, or SEGS) would slab it, but it really does not need to be. People who collect them know what they are.
ICG does. I might get mine slabbed in their special holder for counterfeits to prove they are genuine fakes.
I know.
I love it. Nice coins! Do you have any other dates, or just the 44?
Thanks! No, just the cheap 44's. I wish I had the others.
I had no idea these creeper up into the $150-200 range. I may throw mine up on the BST
Dead Cat Waltz Exonumia
"Coin collecting for outcasts..."
The one you posted is a different "variety". Note the leg of the R in PLURIBUS on the two examples in this thread.
@Rampage
The 1944s come with and without the looped R as you've noted.
Henning also made counterfeits in about 6 other years, but they are not as obvious as 1944 due to the reverse mintmarks.
An interesting fact: Upon sentencing, the Judge asked Henning why he resorted to counterfeiting these nickels.
Henning responded that it was out of necessity. The counterfeiting equipment was very expensive, and he had to pay for it somehow. 😆
Dead Cat Waltz Exonumia
"Coin collecting for outcasts..."
At least he was honest.
I am aware of the other years. I have not personally seen any, but I also do not make any effort to look. I am very happy with the one I have. Yours looks awesome, too.
There are five known dates for Henning nickels. He claimed to have made six obverse dies.
There is speculation that he may have made two 1944 dies, which would explain the discrepancy. It is also possible that the sixth die was a different date but never paired with the "defective/looped R" reverse, thereby escaping detection.
The 1944 war nickel is why he was caught. a missing Mint mark did him in. the others were the 1939, 1946, 1947, and the 1953. The other obvious give away was the the bottom left leg of the R in PLURIBUS. where the left leg of the R has a large opening in it.
Acquired this nickel few months ago and could not believe I even had a chance to buy one. I guess ever once a while if blind squirrel finds a nut.
What makes this henning nickel special for me is that if you look on the verse below you can see the ring of death caused by a coin rolling machine. In my opinion this nickel I've been in circulation for quite a while to actually end up on the end of a circulated roll.
USN & USAF retired 1971-1993
Successful Transactions with more than 100 Members
@Rampage send it too ICG, I've been told that they are the only ones that will certify a counterfeit coin. This way you will verify that it is actually a Henning nickel and increase the value of the nickel at the same time. Fantastic find!
USN & USAF retired 1971-1993
Successful Transactions with more than 100 Members
I will do it at some point. Maybe I will find a few other things to send to them. I love your coin with the machine damage on it. That's really cool and just awesome proof that it circulated for some time before getting caught.
I almost didn't buy the nickel because it was graded by ICG. But fortunately the seller explained they were the only ones that graded counterfeit coins. I quickly sent him a PM and that is how I acquired the coin. Sometimes you do get a 2nd chance when you are being very STUPID. THERE ARE REALLY GREAT MEMBERS ON THIS FORUM!!!
USN & USAF retired 1971-1993
Successful Transactions with more than 100 Members