Help Please! What is the value of my finest known 1954 S/D Jefferson Nickel?

ATF Coins

Just got this beauty back and it is graded MS66+. There are only 22 graded as MS66 and 2 graded MS66+ (this being one of 2) with none graded higher. If you look this coin up on CoinFacts you will see this one and also a picture of the other 66+. I think this one easily has superior eye appeal. PCGS price guide puts the value of an MS66 at $1,250 but there is no price available for an MS66+. I am guessing that is because an MS66+ has never been sold yet. Any ideas on how to value a coin as rare and attractively toned as this?

davewesen

Nice coin and good luck getting max value. There are probably less than a couple dozen collectors willing to pay a big premium for your coin vs a 64 near $100 or a 65 near $200. In 2004 a 66 sold for $3450 at Heritage when a couple collectors were very aggressive obtaining top pops.
https://pcgs.com/cert/21529632

In other series I have seen MS66+'s sell for 3-5x MS66 when there are only a couple top pop MS66+'s

ATF Coins

@davewesen said:
Nice coin and good luck getting max value. There are probably less than a couple dozen collectors willing to pay a big premium for your coin vs a 64 near $100 or a 65 near $200. In 2004 a 66 sold for $3450 at Heritage when a couple collectors were very aggressive obtaining top pops.
https://pcgs.com/cert/21529632

In other series I have seen MS66+'s sell for 3-5x MS66 when there are only a couple top pop MS66+'s

Thanks Dave. I don't live too far from Heritage Galleries and will be taking it there to submit to CAC next.

Glen2022

Nice score. Tough question. I assume that there would be a very small market for this coin. Not sure as I don't collect Jeffersons. One way to find out is to put it in a major auction, but be prepared for the result. I suppose you could always put a reserve on it. good luck.

Catbert

Consider consigning to Bonnie Sabel.

Edit to add:

https://sabelrarities.com/

davewesen

@ATF Coins said:

@davewesen said:
Nice coin and good luck getting max value. There are probably less than a couple dozen collectors willing to pay a big premium for your coin vs a 64 near $100 or a 65 near $200. In 2004 a 66 sold for $3450 at Heritage when a couple collectors were very aggressive obtaining top pops.
https://pcgs.com/cert/21529632

In other series I have seen MS66+'s sell for 3-5x MS66 when there are only a couple top pop MS66+'s

Thanks Dave. I don't live too far from Heritage Galleries and will be taking it there to submit to CAC next.

You better check, but when they started CAC would not sticker MS Jeffersons (too modern). Good luck in your maximizing sale.

291fifth

In my opinion that coin is too poorly struck to merit a grade of 66. Consign it to an auction, sit back and wait for the check.

ATF Coins

@291fifth said:
In my opinion that coin is too poorly struck to merit a grade of 66. Consign it to an auction, sit back and wait for the check.

1954-S nickels are notorious for being the most poorly struck steps and weak strikes of all Jefferson nickels ever minted. Thanks for your opinion, but I disagree. The strike may not be great (which would be expected) but the surfaces are very clean, the toning and eye appeal is great, and the S/D is boldly struck.

MFeld

@davewesen said:

@ATF Coins said:

@davewesen said:
Nice coin and good luck getting max value. There are probably less than a couple dozen collectors willing to pay a big premium for your coin vs a 64 near $100 or a 65 near $200. In 2004 a 66 sold for $3450 at Heritage when a couple collectors were very aggressive obtaining top pops.
https://pcgs.com/cert/21529632

In other series I have seen MS66+'s sell for 3-5x MS66 when there are only a couple top pop MS66+'s

Thanks Dave. I don't live too far from Heritage Galleries and will be taking it there to submit to CAC next.

You better check, but when they started CAC would not sticker MS Jeffersons (too modern). Good luck in your maximizing sale.

Good catch. Here’s what their website lists for Jefferson nickels that they accept:

1938-1942 (PR)
1939 Dbl Monticello & Five Cents
1943/2-P
1949-D/S

oreville

@MFeld said:

@davewesen said:

@ATF Coins said:

@davewesen said:
Nice coin and good luck getting max value. There are probably less than a couple dozen collectors willing to pay a big premium for your coin vs a 64 near $100 or a 65 near $200. In 2004 a 66 sold for $3450 at Heritage when a couple collectors were very aggressive obtaining top pops.
https://pcgs.com/cert/21529632

In other series I have seen MS66+'s sell for 3-5x MS66 when there are only a couple top pop MS66+'s

Thanks Dave. I don't live too far from Heritage Galleries and will be taking it there to submit to CAC next.

You better check, but when they started CAC would not sticker MS Jeffersons (too modern). Good luck in your maximizing sale.

Good catch. Here’s what their website lists for Jefferson nickels that they accept:

1938-1942 (PR)
1939 Dbl Monticello & Five Cents
1943/2-P
1949-D/S

As an alternative, this nickel could be submitted to CACGrading for them to place it in their slab. Suggestion is to specify a minimum grade of MS-66+. So if it does not get crossed to CACG then you get your PCGS slab back intact.

Ido think eventually JA will eventually accept the 1954-S/D for stickering. It might be a few years. It seems to be growing in accepted popularity as a classic coin.

291fifth

@ATF Coins said:

@291fifth said:
In my opinion that coin is too poorly struck to merit a grade of 66. Consign it to an auction, sit back and wait for the check.

1954-S nickels are notorious for being the most poorly struck steps and weak strikes of all Jefferson nickels ever minted. Thanks for your opinion, but I disagree. The strike may not be great (which would be expected) but the surfaces are very clean, the toning and eye appeal is great, and the S/D is boldly struck.

It is all a matter of OPINION.