Thread: 3 cent nickel - proof or business strike?

Hope everyone had a safe 4th of July! I saw this coin and thought it was beautiful, after doing some research on it I am having a hard time telling if it is a proof strike or business strike. Any 3 cent nickel pros here that can point out any specific things to look for? I have not seen the coin in hand yet, so these are the best pics I have.

Thanks!

I don't see anything that makes me think it is a Proof. For one thing the strike is not nearly strong enough. And I don't see any mirrors in the fields. What makes you think it could be a Proof?

mostly just comparing to other coins I see online - plus taking into consideration that the proofs seem to be more plentiful then the business strikes. I originally thought it was a business strike as it does not seem to have proof qualities like you mentioned, mirrored fields etc... but take a look at this PF66 coin...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1884-3cN-NGC...06%26rk%3D2%26

Lord knows I hope it is a business strike as they seem to be pretty rare, especially in this quality...

I woud not buy a coin like that raw, especially on-line.

Yeah you are probably right Hobo, I am learning but just slowly Hopefully this coin is everything is appears to be and more. For the price I think it is a win-win but you never know until you have it in hand. As long as it is a genuine business strike coin then i'm a happy camper~

Some of these later date pieces are hard to distinguish. If I was a betting man I would bet that this IS a proof. I have owned several examples of that date that look similar.

Thanks Dutchman, I'll post my own pictures when I recieve the coin and hopefully we will be able to tell for sure then. It certainly wouldn't ruin my day if it is a proof, although I was hoping it was a business strike... well I should say that by the look of it, it didn't even occur to me that it could have been a proof at first~ After looking over and over at the pictures it looks like the outer edge has a mirror look to it, but not the fields. Thats when I started looking at other coins and noticed that alot of the proof coins look nothing like more modern proof coins... Hrm~

Well probably another lesson learned the hard way... I'm such a noob

Any thoughts as to grade and value?
Thanks
J

I seeing what I think are metal flow lines which would NOT be characteristic of a proof.
On the other hand the strike is above average.

That's a fairly decent strike for 3cn's. The fields make me want to think it's a proof but i couldn't say for sure.

It's not the same date... but here is a picture of one that I owned that is similar.

Originally Posted by LostDutchman

Some of these later date pieces are hard to distinguish. If I was a betting man I would bet that this IS a proof. I have owned several examples of that date that look similar.

I tend to agree.

I am also leaning more towards a proof. That is a pretty good strike to be a business strike.

Yes that PR66 looks shockingly similar to the 1884~ Hrm... Oh well here is to hoping it is a high grade proof then!

Many of the older proof coin were of the matte type finish, the brilliant proof finish is kind of in between, getting into the Cameo and Deep Cameo in the moderns.

I have a bad feeling that it is a proof. Sorry.

Nice hole filler till you can find a business strike though, unless you paid business strike money for it.