Any Three Cent Nickel Experts Out There?
giorgio11
Posts: 3,966 ✭✭✭✭✭
A contact sent me these photos of what appears to be an 1885 three cent nickel in low grade. With a mintage of only 1,000 business strikes and nearly four times that many proofs, this is a rara avis indeed if it's good. Is there anyone actually an expert in the series who might venture an opinion? These are probably the only photos I'll get, so don't ask for more. I appreciate it, and thank you.
Kind regards,
George
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Comments
I am not an expert in these but I think I am seeing a very impressive die crack on the reverse. If so, that would tend to show this as a business strike. I looked on the Heritage archives but did not see one with a die crack. With only a thousand made I would not expect to find a die crack like this but if it happened there should be others out there. I await the experts!
I wonder if the girl(I'm assuming female based on the name listed) that wrote the article you recently posted would be able to incorporate "rara avis" into her writings?
I don't like the shape and position of the date. Compare here:
http://websitepicturesonly.coinauctionshelp.com/New_US_COIN_IMAGES/ThreeCents/18853centsnickel.jpg
Might be genuine damaged but I would not take the risk.
Comparing your image with the OP's, I have to say the U.S.A on the obverse also looks too bold on OP coin. The hair ribbon also looks more prominent than even an unworn coin usually has....
Certainly not an expert for the series, or this date, or at that grade....but there is probably enough to be wary about this coin....
I don't care for the shape of the second numeral 8 in the date, not to mention than the verdigris around the date could be obscuring a modification of a much more common 1865 - which coupled with the die crack which was much more common on the 1865 dated coins would lead me to believe that numeral was modified at some point.
According to the photos in Allan Gifford's book "The Ultimate Guide to U.S. Three Cent Nickels",
the date position is a match to 1885P02, which he said is a proof-only die.
He does not mention a die crack on the 1885P02 reverse, but he does not have any actual photos of 1885P02 (he has a simulated photo of the date position).
He states there were 3 die pairs which struck all the 1885 three cent nickels.
Two of the pairs struck both proofs and business strikes,
while the third (1885P02) struck only proofs.
The photo which @CaptHenway linked is a match to 1885P03.
(I was not able to find a P02 example on PCGS CoinFacts).
However, when I tried to prepare a date position diagram, I noticed that the position of the E in AMERICA is not correct relative to the dentils for 1885. It is correct for 1865-1881 3 cent nickels.
Gifford's book explains:
So I believe @SaorAlba is correct - the date is likely altered from an 1865
(or a counterfeit die was prepared using an 1865-1881 3 cent nickel).
It looks off.
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Looks like a die crack
What flavor is the tin?
Thanks to all of you who chimed in but most especially to @CaptHenway and the industrious @yosclimber . Good work!
Kind regards,
George