1st time poster - Thoughts on my 1865 3 cent nickel??
Mustang5L5
Posts: 82
Hey everyone, been lurking for a while collecting info but decided to join seeing as i finally got a decent coin worth showing off.
My grandfather left me a small collection featuring basic coins from late 1800's and early 1900's as well as a large number of foreign coins from early to mid 1900's.
I decided to add to it so i picked this coin up.
I know the 3 cent nickels are not that popular, but i felt it was a pretty attractive coin and in great shape. Only wear on it seems to be the curls on her hair and 1 leaf in the wreath on the reverse. Coin is actually brown to gray in color. Very clean.
It's in a small 2x2 holder and ungraded...so can you pros give me a hand with what this might be?
My grandfather left me a small collection featuring basic coins from late 1800's and early 1900's as well as a large number of foreign coins from early to mid 1900's.
I decided to add to it so i picked this coin up.
I know the 3 cent nickels are not that popular, but i felt it was a pretty attractive coin and in great shape. Only wear on it seems to be the curls on her hair and 1 leaf in the wreath on the reverse. Coin is actually brown to gray in color. Very clean.
It's in a small 2x2 holder and ungraded...so can you pros give me a hand with what this might be?
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Comments
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The square rim makes me wonder.
<< <i>Welcome and a nice example. This is a fun forum, even with the occassional side show. Hope you decide to stick around and post! >>
And I thought this forum IS the side show, with the occasional coin talks.
BTW, welcome aboard, Mustang5L5. Coin looks to be XF that 's been cleaned. JMHO.
& Nice Coin!!
Your coin looks to be a nice AU,however it has been cleaned.Reducing it to more of a VF or so value.
-Hayden
I agree XF and cleaned at some point......I believe the 1865 is the most common date in the series, but it's still a nice coin.
I think much of the weakness in your coins obverse, particularly low on the hair, is the result of weak strike instead of wear.
Nice coin!
I just picked up another 3-center today. I'm working on a whole set. They ain't popular, so they're relatively cheap compared to other coins of the same age, rarity, and grade.
Added: I'm not sure one could tell it's been cleaned based on that photo!
<< <i>
& Nice Coin!! >>
Katrina,
Did you get tired of Chris or did he kick you off?
He was crap'n my style
<< <i>
I just picked up another 3-center today. I'm working on a whole set. They ain't popular, so they're relatively cheap compared to other coins of the same age, rarity, and grade.
>>
Yes, i discovered that 3-cents are relatively cheap for their age and grade compared to other coins. Not sure i would collect any more of them unless i found another nice example like this for cheap.
<< <i>Hey HTubbs! lol!
He was crap'n my style >>
Oh,I see.You all should know youre still only allowed one eBay thread,and one ttt per thread.
three cent nicks are undervalued sleeper coins
i only like coins with fantastic eye appeal and great value be it poor 1 chain or superb gem mintstate66 early s mint franklins
michael
Nice coin - nice looking coin with light wear. A lot of coins have been cleaned at one point or another.
My posts viewed
since 8/1/6
<< <i>I'd agree with the AU-something. How high, (50, 53, 55, 58) really depends on how much luster remains, and how much of that "wear" is actually weak strike. The 3 cent nickels are notorious for poor strike, particularly in the early years. It was one of the first coins struck from the 25% nickel alloy, and they had one heck of a time working with it.
I think much of the weakness in your coins obverse, particularly low on the hair, is the result of weak strike instead of wear.
Nice coin!
They ain't popular, so they're relatively cheap compared to other coins of the same age, rarity, and grade.
Added: I'm not sure one could tell it's been cleaned based on that photo! >>
I agree with all of the above.
The weak strikes make this series very tough for me to grade. Even in AU there are often almost no lines on the III on the reverse. I look at the hair at the top of Liberty's head and the beads on the coronet mostly for grading. Flatness in the lower curls are often strike weakness. The leaves on the reverse can be kind of mushy too. By the middle dates, the strikes had become a little more consistant, I think. My 1865 is an attractive, gray MS-60. The strike is a little weak, but it has interesting clash marks on the reverse. You can see most of the profile in the field.
As for cleaning, I assume that almost all 19th cent. coins have been cleaned at some time. I just don't want their cleaning to have been harsh or recent. I'm not often interested in coins that have been hairlined to death or that look like a fishing lure. But I'm not put off by an AU or EF that has been lightly dipped once or twice.
K S
new picture i just took.
WHat is the wavy area behind the head? Is that die clash??
Here's a picture of one with strong clashes. It also has a funky (mis-aligned die?).
<< <i>Good Lord! Is that the same coin?
I was thinking the same thing myself! The coin 'itsnotjustme' posted looks nearly identical to mine on the obverse!
It has alot of detail, and virtually no wear.
Based on those photos, I don't believe it was cleaned, or altered in any way.
yes, that's a die-clash on the right - for which the 1865's are notorious.
K S
I think i'm gonna start collecting 1865-1889 3-cent nickels. I like the coin, but for some reason they are not popular. It's ok by me as it means i can get decent examples for pretty cheap. I think it's a good looking coin despite the small size plus it has a unique denomination. I have a lot of different types of coins but have been tinkering on the idea of collecting a certain series. I need somewhere to start i guess.
Anyway thanks for all your help