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Jefferson Nickels in EF/AU
erwindoc
Posts: 5,274 ✭✭✭✭✭
Can someone let me know why the prices are so low in these grades, with the exceptions of the mint errors and varieties? Is it because they are so easily found?
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slowly. Takes a while to get below EF. They just last and last and last some more!
bob
I routinely find 50 year old or older nickels still in VF condition in circulation.
Since most mint state Jeffs are common and low priced, no serious collector really wants circulated examples for their collection.
There are a few dates/mint marks that command a slight premium over the normal circulated price ranges, but a MS example is just a little bit more and not out of reach for most collectors pocket books.
"Keep your malarkey filter in good operating order" -Walter Breen
<< <i>There are a few dates/mint marks that command a slight premium over the normal circulated price ranges, but a MS example is just a little bit more and not out of reach for most collectors pocket books. >>
In my opinion -- except for varieties, 39-D, and maybe 39-S nickels that are not mint state are worth 5 cents or melt for the wartime issues.
<< <i>
<< <i>There are a few dates/mint marks that command a slight premium over the normal circulated price ranges, but a MS example is just a little bit more and not out of reach for most collectors pocket books. >>
In my opinion -- except for varieties, 39-D, and maybe 39-S nickels that are not mint state are worth 5 cents or melt for the wartime issues. >>
I've never found a 1950D in circulation. Just about every single one minted must have been horded in 1950 since MS examples are extremely common, esp. so considering the relatively low mintage.
<< <i>I've never found a 1950D in circulation. Just about every single one minted must have been horded in 1950 since MS examples are extremely common, esp. so considering the relatively low mintage. >>
Me either and I used to go through a lot of bags of nickels when I was younger and I am talking about the 1960's! It was very easy to put together a circ set back then (except for the 1950-D) from circulation coins even the war nickels were very plentiful in the early 1960's. Another reason prices are so low in those grades is that hardly anyone collects them in those grades in particular-most collectors of circulated Jefferson nickels are kids and don't care if a 1948-d is vg or au as long as it fills the hole. Bob
Edited to add - Jefferson nickels are mostly collected as circ (without regards to grade as long as they don't look to junky)or BU. In fact i have never heard of anyone putting together a strict XF Jefferson nickel set.
An authorized PCGS dealer, and a contributor to the Red Book.
I still find 40's Jefferson's in circulation without lot of effort.
I think this accounts, too, for the very low prices on some of the fairly scarce varieties in circ grades. A 43/2 P in any grade is not a common coin, but in lower circ they're well under $100. I think this is because the only people who want one of these are serious Jefferson collectors, and few serious Jefferson collectors are interested in circ coins at all.
spent over and over so can still be found in nice condition in circulation. Even one like the
'39-D is not too difficult to find since many circulated briefly before getting pulled from circu-
lation. You have to buy this date now days but the coins are out there and aren't too tough.
If you want a toughie try finding something like a 1971 in XF/ AU. These are gone from cir-
culation after all these years and the few that do appear are VG/ F. You can't order one of
these from a dealer because they are very very scarce. People don't bring nickel collections
into coin shops with an XF '71 nickel in it because most people don't collect anything after
1965. If a '71 nickel comes in it will probably be a single example and MS-60/ 61. Such coins
are actually quite scarce compared to old standards like a '50-D nickel but people aren't look-
ing for '71 nickels which makes the small supply ample.
One day I imagine people will wake up and realize just how tough the later dates really are
and it will be too late. It might happen soon if the government switched to a new composi-
tion and withdraws the coins in circulation for destruction. Suddenly there would be either
the few in unc or the few in low grade that escaped the furnaces and nothing else.
There's all the time in the world, right?
Take a look at your PhotoGrade book to see the kind of strikes all those examples once had when MS coins.
Leo
The more qualities observed in a coin, the more desirable that coin becomes!
My Jefferson Nickel Collection
<< <i>EF/AU Jefferson nickels must have full detailed strikes that will show the wear that classifies them as EF/AU! A mint state nickel can easily move from MS to VF rather quickly due to having little detail. Locating those nicely struck EF/AU nickels that escaped collectors hands when they were MS is a real challenge.
Take a look at your PhotoGrade book to see the kind of strikes all those examples once had when MS coins.
>>
Yes, and this particularly applies to the later date nickels since production standards could be
so poor. Nice attractive 1971 nickels are actually pretty tough even in Fine condition and there
is nowhere in the world to buy them. Nice attractive unc '71 nickels are actually very common
if you consider 100,000 coins to be common. Of course there are ten times as many '50-D nic-
kels in nice attractive unc.
<< <i>
<< <i>EF/AU Jefferson nickels must have full detailed strikes that will show the wear that classifies them as EF/AU! A mint state nickel can easily move from MS to VF rather quickly due to having little detail. Locating those nicely struck EF/AU nickels that escaped collectors hands when they were MS is a real challenge.
Take a look at your PhotoGrade book to see the kind of strikes all those examples once had when MS coins.
>>
Yes, and this particularly applies to the later date nickels since production standards could be
so poor. Nice attractive 1971 nickels are actually pretty tough even in Fine condition and there
is nowhere in the world to buy them. Nice attractive unc '71 nickels are actually very common
if you consider 100,000 coins to be common. Of course there are ten times as many '50-D nic-
kels in nice attractive unc. >>
Still -- even though a circulated 1971 nickel might be hard to find why would anyone actually want one?
<< <i>
<< <i>
<< <i>EF/AU Jefferson nickels must have full detailed strikes that will show the wear that classifies them as EF/AU! A mint state nickel can easily move from MS to VF rather quickly due to having little detail. Locating those nicely struck EF/AU nickels that escaped collectors hands when they were MS is a real challenge.
Take a look at your PhotoGrade book to see the kind of strikes all those examples once had when MS coins.
>>
Yes, and this particularly applies to the later date nickels since production standards could be
so poor. Nice attractive 1971 nickels are actually pretty tough even in Fine condition and there
is nowhere in the world to buy them. Nice attractive unc '71 nickels are actually very common
if you consider 100,000 coins to be common. Of course there are ten times as many '50-D nic-
kels in nice attractive unc. >>
Still -- even though a circulated 1971 nickel might be hard to find why would anyone actually want one? >>
The hunt! Understanding strike characteristics (a very important element to collecting coins)(not understood by many beginner collectors who have registry or raw sets). Building a high quality coin collection, circulated or uncirculated is far more complicated than buying the first slab or raw nickel with a date that will fill a hole in your registry set or Whitman album. It's takes a great deal of effort and time to find that specific multi-quality coin.
The more qualities observed in a coin, the more desirable that coin becomes!
My Jefferson Nickel Collection
<< <i>Still -- even though a circulated 1971 nickel might be hard to find why would anyone actually want one? >>
Today there are a mere handful of collectors seeking out such coins and there will be
very few such coins when all is said and done. If and when collectors begin seeking quality
coins some will simply be priced out of uncirculated well made examples and will demand
circulated coins. We could have much more demand all the way down to VG or Fine than
there are coins.
It does seem unlikely that a really nice 1970-D in VG would sell for more than a really bad
MS-60 but we will see some oddities in the pricing of moderns. Collectors are likely to seek
out nice coins in all grades and such coins simply won't exist in some cases or will be quite
scarce. Many collectors don't realize how poorly some moderns were made. Even when
they were fairly decent all the coins may have been scratched even before they left the mint.
There was very little quality control because mint customers didn't care about quality until
1999 when the states quarters started. Quality still can be poor but it's apparent they are
trying now days.
and yes those nice 71's are tough, I have found a few, but most are
what I call Vegas nickels, even the 80's are getting tough to find nice.
Someday.....Someday
Steve
<< <i>EF/AU Jefferson nickels must have full detailed strikes that will show the wear that classifies them as EF/AU! A mint state nickel can easily move from MS to VF rather quickly due to having little detail. Locating those nicely struck EF/AU nickels that escaped collectors hands when they were MS is a real challenge.
Take a look at your PhotoGrade book to see the kind of strikes all those examples once had when MS coins.
Leo >>
I disagree that a mint state coin can go from MS to VF "rather quickly".
A mint state coin stays a mint state coin irrespective of the quality of the strike, IMO
Therein lies the question of "eye appeal" and MS grading.
It's my opinion that a mint state coin that is weakly struck should be graded in a low MS grade (say MS60 or the extremely rare MS61).
YMMV
<< <i>
<< <i>EF/AU Jefferson nickels must have full detailed strikes that will show the wear that classifies them as EF/AU! A mint state nickel can easily move from MS to VF rather quickly due to having little detail. Locating those nicely struck EF/AU nickels that escaped collectors hands when they were MS is a real challenge.
Take a look at your PhotoGrade book to see the kind of strikes all those examples once had when MS coins.
Leo >>
I disagree that a mint state coin can go from MS to VF "rather quickly".
A mint state coin stays a mint state coin irrespective of the quality of the strike, IMO
Therein lies the question of "eye appeal" and MS grading.
It's my opinion that a mint state coin that is weakly struck should be graded in a low MS grade (say MS60 or the extremely rare MS61).
YMMV >>
What he means is if its weakly struck as soon as it acquires any wear it gets graded down to VF due to the weak strike looking like wear.
<< <i>
<< <i>
<< <i>EF/AU Jefferson nickels must have full detailed strikes that will show the wear that classifies them as EF/AU! A mint state nickel can easily move from MS to VF rather quickly due to having little detail. Locating those nicely struck EF/AU nickels that escaped collectors hands when they were MS is a real challenge.
Take a look at your PhotoGrade book to see the kind of strikes all those examples once had when MS coins.
Leo >>
I disagree that a mint state coin can go from MS to VF "rather quickly".
A mint state coin stays a mint state coin irrespective of the quality of the strike, IMO
Therein lies the question of "eye appeal" and MS grading.
It's my opinion that a mint state coin that is weakly struck should be graded in a low MS grade (say MS60 or the extremely rare MS61).
YMMV >>
What he means is if its weakly struck as soon as it acquires any wear it gets graded down to VF due to the weak strike looking like wear.
I have a couple rolls of 55P's that are MS60-62 at best, and if I were to carry them around in my pocket for a week and had them graded
I'd be lucky to get VF20
Steve
<< <i>I disagree that a mint state coin can go from MS to VF "rather quickly".
A mint state coin stays a mint state coin irrespective of the quality of the strike, IMO
Therein lies the question of "eye appeal" and MS grading.
It's my opinion that a mint state coin that is weakly struck should be graded in a low MS grade (say MS60 or the extremely rare MS61).
YMMV >>
How about a weakly struck buffalo nickel with only a quarter horn. It's unc but as soon
as the luster is broken it technically is only VG. Many of the early clad quarters were made
with the lettering on the obverse, reverse, or both not separated from the rim. Technically
these went straight from unc to AG.
<< <i>I have for awhile been saving the better looking circs from the 70's
and yes those nice 71's are tough, I have found a few, but most are
what I call Vegas nickels, even the 80's are getting tough to find nice.
Someday.....Someday
Steve >>
I see you haven't been over to my website.
The more qualities observed in a coin, the more desirable that coin becomes!
My Jefferson Nickel Collection
<< <i>No 50-D ever found in circulation here either, but I imagine living in Philly had something to do with that, as the odds of course are significantly less of a hard to find Denver mint coin making its way down here. >>
Bingo...seems like the Mississippi River is the dividing line between Denver & Philly coins, course it has all to do with the locations of the Reserve Banks but people attempting to put one of each mints into a collection has problems.
"Keep your malarkey filter in good operating order" -Walter Breen
Ron
<< <i>No 50-D ever found in circulation here either, but I imagine living in Philly had something to do with that, as the odds of course are significantly less of a hard to find Denver mint coin making its way down here. >>
It would have been difficult finding a '50-D nickel in Denver, too, since most of the
mintage was saved from circulation. Almost none of the '71 nickel was saved from
circulation. Despite a mintage 50 times greater it is harder to find in unc or any nice
condition over VG. It sell for so much less because it doesn't have much demand.