Questions: WWII Jeff Nickels

mrfred

I've only been at this hobby a little over two years, and I am constantly learning new major facts.

Until today, I (mistakenly) thought that all the World War II Jeff Nickels were made in that (approximately) 40% silver alloy. I learned in Breen's book today that the U.S. also issued normal nickel content five-cent pieces during that time. The substitution of silver-content five-cent pieces for normal nickels was not total.

Questions:

In general, are WWII true-nickel or silver-content five-cent pieces relatively more or less scarce? That is, are there premiums at high grade for one or the other, same year and same mint?

Are there 'error strikes' in existence -- e.g. silver-content nickels struck w/o that big mintmark on the reverse, or conversely, five-cent pieces bearing that big mint mark but which have no silver?

baccaruda

i didn't know there were "nickel" strikes during those years. are there diagnostics at all? if not it would be tough to tell one from the other without an atomic scale.

mbbiker

The only silver nickel i know of without the big mintmark is a 1944. around 1950 a counterfeiter made Jeff. nickels dated 1939-late 40's he used the same rev. for all the fakes and forgot that the mint changed the Rev. of the P mint coins and added a mintmark so he made some 1944 dated nickels without the mintmark.

keets

.........since there were two changes-------in mid 1942 to silver and in 1946 back to nickel------there were also two oppurtunities for wrong planchet errors. the large mintmark was used to differentiate between the 2 alloys and was hoarded, resulting in high numbers of silver survivors. coupled with easier striking, the silver war nickel years have an abundance of higher grade coins. i seem to remember sometime in the last year that a wrong planchet coin was found in a roll. quite a rare coin to find. though the certified pops for most of the silver years are large compared to the rest of the series, they still command strong prices due to an ever popular demand.

al h.

baccaruda

so there are 43-45 nickels without the big mintmark? i've never seen one.

Hoot

In 1942 the Philadelphia and Denver Mints first made 5 cent pieces with the 75% copper 25% nickel alloy. The former have no mint mark and the latter have a D to the right of Monticello in the "normal" position. When the 35% silver, 9% Manganes, and 56% copper alloy (wartime) 5 cent pieces hit the scene, Denver ceased making Jeffersons in 1942. Philadelphia made wartime 5c through 1945, as did San Francisco. Denver picked up their production of Jeffersons in 1943 and produced the wartime alloy 5c through 1945 as well. I have not heard of any off-metal strikes. There are countless errors in the series (overdates, RPMs and doubled dies), but there are no genuine coins with no mint mark.

Hoot

mbbiker

I've never seen a 1944 no P nickel i just read about them in the PCGS coin grading and counterfit detection book. I would think that most of them have been destroyed because the were fakes.

kranky

Not too long ago I read about a 1946 Jeff that was on a wartime planchet. Worn down to VF!

Russ

Here's a 42-D that isn't silver:



At least I don't think it is.

BTW, Kranky, that's the one I told you about.

Russ, NCNE

kranky

That's not silver, but it's sure toned like a silver coin. Never saw a Jeff toned like that.

Russ

Kranky,

In case you wanted a better view:

Giant obverse image.

Giant revese image.

Those are REALLY big.

Russ, NCNE

mrfred

Fascinating comments, everybody. Thanks much. Keep 'em coming...

airplanenut

August 8 was the switch in 1942, I believe...

Jeremy

PS- My dealer had an NGC 1942 proof wrongly marked as silver... it doesn't have a big mintmark

mrfred

Jeremy -- unless it is a strike error!!!

leothelyon

Here's a link to the 1946 silver. Rats, the picture is gone. There are a few others like a 42 Monticello D silver and 42 silver w/o the large MM. I don't know who has them but have heard of them. Someone with a Breen's catalog could tell more.

Leo

Gilbert

Russ, nice coin, I'll take it. PM me with particulars!

Russ

Gilbert,

It's in at PCGS right now. Arrived on the 23rd of last month, which means I should have it back by Christmas.

Russ, NCNE

NIckelCollector

I've never seen a 1944 no P nickel i just read about them in the PCGS coin grading and counterfit detection book. I would think that most of them have been destroyed because the were fakes.
Text

I actually purchased one of these coins at a coin show last month in Central Florida for $5 or 10 as a novelty item. The local dealer had several for sale.

Other than the counterfeit 1944 I am not aware of any war nickels without the big mint mark. A few wrong allow war nickels (non silver) have sold recently.

prooflike

What was the purpose of the Manganese in this alloy??