Question for coin roll hunters-Do you check 1939, 1946, 1947 and 1953 nickels for Henning nickels?
rec78
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Ok, the 1944 is quite obvious because of the no MM and nickel composition. But the other date Hennig's are worth a lot more, even junky looking. I admit to not thinking of checking and weighing the 1939, 1946, 1947 and 1953 nickels that look suspect.
From now on I will be checking all of these coins. The tell - R loop - is not the only reverse. I think that these are the only dates (1939, 1944, 1946, 1947, & 1953) for Henning's, someone correct me if I am incorrect.
.I will bet you that there are a lot of these still floating around because not too many roll hunters are searching for them. Up until this moment, when I saw a beat up coin, no matter what the date, I just through it back. Not anymore!!
This crappy looking 1946 Henning sold recently on eBay for $800.00!! This coin does have the R loop tell.
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Absolutely!
Calling @JWP
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positively!
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@OAKSTAR Every time I come across one of these 4 dates, I checked it for weight and put-it under a digital microscope. Right now I'm searching Ebay for raw nickels and check each listing for die markers. I might have found a couple but the jury is still out.
This a blow up of the left side of Monticello's dome.
There is a small dot in this area which is a possible die marker for a Henning nickel. I'm not sure about this one, but it is still a possibility. I still have 5 nickels inbound and some of these have "R's" with defects . I will post an update when I receive all the nickels and decide if I have enough proof to submit to ICG. Also, the weight has been proven to be as low as 4.67 grams to 5.4 grams, The Henning nickel is not always over weight, which also makes the non-defective R's tough to proof.
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There were a half dozen reverse dies so specific die markers can be tricky.
And, I set aside all potential Henning years for later scrutiny.
I have a jar full of nickels (and jars of other coin denominations) that I will need to search at some point. The Henning counterfeits will be one item on the list. Cheers, RickO
Would someone please explain wth is a Henning Nickel? Cause I'm getting that sick feeling in my stomach that usually happens when I find out about a coin I had no idea about - Boxes of Nickels gone by but many saved for MS quality so...
Edit: Okay I watched a few vids so now I'm armed and ready, problem is I throw back worn coins so unless its in MS quality I do not have one.
I've never really liked to search nickels, but with the few boxes that I have searched, I didn't know what a Henning was at the time.
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If you've thrown back worn nickels over the years, you may very well have thrown back a Henning. I don't believe there are any Mint State Henning's out there.
Disclaimer: I'm not a dealer, trader, grader, investor or professional numismatist. I'm just a hobbyist. (To protect me but mostly you! 🤣 )
Always
Coins are Neato!
"If it's a penny for your thoughts and you put in your two cents worth, then someone...somewhere...is making a penny." - Steven Wright
I recently submitted this one to ICG.
Disclaimer: I'm not a dealer, trader, grader, investor or professional numismatist. I'm just a hobbyist. (To protect me but mostly you! 🤣 )
I had the same question. I never heard of them until this thread. PCGS does not certify them because they are all counterfeits. Even worse there are counterfeit counterfeits.
I inherited a whole bunch of nickels from the early 50's, which need to be checked.
Why would anyone counterfeit a nickel? Even in 1949 they were only worth a nickel.
I have had some of these in the past.
30-40% profit was a pretty good reason to Henning. It was high return for (almost) no risk. If Henning hadn't messed up with the 1944 then it's unlikely he ever would have been caught.
I believe that he had been previously imprisoned for making c/f $20 bills, or something like that. I
I do check for these, but I only know about the R loop.
God bless all who believe in him. Do unto others what you expect to be done to you. Dubbed a "Committee Secret Agent" by @mr1931S on 7/23/24. Founding member of CU Anti-Troll League since 9/24/24.
Francis Leroy Henning was a South Jersey machinist who made copy dies from pocket change nickels. He started a vending machine route and mixed his nickels in with the real ones, then cashed them in at the bank. From there, they entered circulation. A sharp eyed collector noticed the No mint mark 1944 and pretty soon Henning was caught. Before his capture he dumped thousands of his nickels in the Cooper river. I suppose he gets the Prize for the most successful counterfeit coin ever. They are Still out there!!
This one is close to Unc. The edges show no wear.
Here is a near-mint-state 1946 Henning. The strike is abysmal, but there is very little wear. It has the "looped R", plus rim cud above UNUM, plus an apparent die gouge through the "O" in OF.
This is the only true mint-state Henning nickel that I know of. The details are mushy (typical), but it actually has all the mint luster.
I have been and will continue to look for one for my collection.
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Most definitely I check every possible Henning nickel date that I find (If it does not have a mint mark). I check the weight, check for die cracks, the R for the loop. I also check for the dot between the G & W on the obverse. There are a few other areas I check too. I usually come across 4-5 possible nickels in each box that I go through. However, I have fond no Henning nickels to date. But there is always the chance that a Henning may be lurking in that next box.
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This is a real great read. However, it is very hard to find. I acquired this one from a forum member. 😊
USN & USAF retired 1971-1993
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Disclaimer: I'm not a dealer, trader, grader, investor or professional numismatist. I'm just a hobbyist. (To protect me but mostly you! 🤣 )
At this price, how long before someone counterfeits a Henning nickel?
My Adolph A. Weinman signature
Not long. I've done it. JK
God comes first in everything I do. I’m dedicated to serving Him with my whole life. Coin collecting is just a hobby—but even in that, I seek to honor Him. ✝️
How does a collector know whether he/she has a real Henning nickel? Somehow a Certificate of Authenticity doesn't seem appropriate.
My Adolph A. Weinman signature
Man, the last time I did any CRH, I barely knew what a Henning nickel was. But yeah, it was nickels that used to be my happy hunting ground. I stacked up a goodly hoard of War nickels over the years, and some clipped planchets, including a double clip. And a BU 1940 found in a roll of moderns. But not so many Buffaloes in the mix as a lot of other CRH-ers seemed to get.
The damaged R is one way to look for a Henning nickel but there are variations that do not have the damaged R. This book by Joseph P. Cronin lists more of the known variations.
The looped R and the no P on the 1944 are the easiest nickels to ID. Yes, there are many other variations and I check for all of the variations that I'm aware of. There are dots on the Obverse and the reverse that are hard to find and even harder to prove. The weight varies from being very light to very heavy also. It is an adventure when I find a possible Henning date nickel, but I'm still looking for my 1st in the wild. Happy hunting gang.
USN & USAF retired 1971-1993
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Deleted
Always
Coins are Neato!
"If it's a penny for your thoughts and you put in your two cents worth, then someone...somewhere...is making a penny." - Steven Wright
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Hello, and welcome to the forum! It would be best to post a new thread - perhaps in the Q & A forum, that way members will see your question. Try to also include photos of the front and back (obverse and reverse) of the full coin
I hope that helps!