NewP 1944 no P Henning Nickel Arrived, New Photos!

ambro51

I really get a kick out of this coin. I'll call it a "coin" since though a counterfeit in every sense of the word surviving pieces circulated for years. There remains the chance of actually finding one in circulation, IF you know what to look for. There are signs, such as the roughness around the reverse lettering, and of course the no P which is obvious, but also a "hole" in the base of the R in Pluribus. Some call this a late die state since a group of 1944 coins exist with a normal R. He did admit to making six obverse and six reverse dies. The weight is ten percent higher than a "real" nickel at 5.5 grams. I read where the diameter is slightly greater but I cannot detect it. The rims oddly enough are fairly square and very smooth (and more luster than the rest of the coin). I do feel that this piece would circulate for years undetected. No doubt "kid" Collectors found many of these, So, here ya go..... 1944 (dated) no P Henning Nickel. Produced c. 1954 by Francis Henning in Erial NJ. Henning was caught, and done 3 years. To date, the only individual tried and convicted of counterfeiting US Coins . .

Type2

Very cool it has the hole in the "R" one has it and one does not.

Boosibri

Thanks for sharing. Very timely after the recent Numismatist article.

ricko

Cool... I always look at nickels, hoping I will find one of these... Cheers, RickO

DRUNNER

Fun post!

I have one that appears in an identical grade to the OP. Great history here and although I certainly have other more widely collected coins, this one is one of my favorites!

Drunner
(Doily Slut Still)

coindudeonebay

Not all the Hennings have a hole in the R. I have the variety that does not. I have decent pictures on my home computer and I will post when I get home.

Type2

Here are my two old pic.

ambro51

Do the outer rims of yours look "better" than the coin surface?

dcarr

Here is a lesser-known and apparently very rare 1939 Henning nickel (with looped "R"):

19Lyds

As far as these nickels go, it would be interesting to see an "uncirculated" version instead of the same old circulated beat up coins.

ambro51

I'd imagine a coin like this can only be "graded by surface". Looking through the many images on the web image search it seems this is the closest I can find to "uncirculated". A look at the rims would be nice. The surfaces though retain even roughness from the cast dies and the surfaces of the lettering look the same as the basined fields. Absence of circulation nicks also. ••not my coin •••.

ambro51

.....and I have to wonder as a south Jerseyite... How many of these have passed unnoticed through my hands over the years? Pulling images off the web here are the other years. 1939, 1946, 1947, 1953, 1954. Unfortunately none of these images show the reverse so I'm not sure if they are looped R or not. . . . . . .

dcarr

<< <i>.....and I have to wonder as a south Jerseyite... How many of these have passed unnoticed through my hands over the years? Pulling images off the web here are the other years. 1939, 1946, 1947, 1953, 1954. Unfortunately none of these images show the reverse so I'm not sure if they are looped R or not. . . . . . . >>



I think several of those are actually genuine US Mint coins, especially the last 1953.
It is very hard to differentiate a genuine low-grade very-late-die-state US Mint coin from a Henning, unless it has a looped "R".

harveypb

Is there any other visible diagnostic besides the loop in the R to identify a Henning nickel??
What about the pieces that don't have the looped R???
I have a 1944 piece (with no P) but it doesn't have the looped R