1938 P Jefferson nickel need help

Thank you that was great advice I take all your comments to heart it's just my obsession with being a realist the Gemini in me I guess I am a factual person but thanks for everybody's comments I appreciate them and all your opinions

 

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1938 Jefferson nickels and Reverse of '38 1939 nickels are given FS designation based on different criteria from every date from later 1939 on. The nature of the steps in '38 and early '39 is just fundamentally THAT different.

 

Ok cool there's always a glitch or small print LOL how can I tell if this is proof I've got one opinion that it's not looking at it closely the fields are dark and Polished and Jefferson is frosted also on the reverse it's not as strong but it's definitely polished

 

Heres a good pic

 

I would say, based on these pictures, that this is almost certainly NOT a proof coin. I can't go to 100% though. I have seen some pretty impaired fields on proofs of that era. Regardless, it is an unusually nice example of a 1938 and I'd call it a "keeper" for sure.

 

If anyone would like to see how very early Jeffs are treated differently than later ones for FS designation, zoom in on the close-ups on this site. These ARE FS coins!!!!!

http://www.pcgscoinfacts.com/Coin/Detail/84003

 

That's what I mean I don't get it all coins
should be created equal. If it's not it's not FS

 

The key is whether the full steps even EXISTED in the master hub! In 1938 and early 1939, they DIDN'T!

 

So observing the photo that I showed is there any steps at all on that nickel I'll post another one so you don't have to go back to the top I'm going to leave it up to the Grading Company in July at the Fun show here in Orlando that's one point I'll bring I guess just to get a clarification of FS thanks for your

 

Just keep in mind that in 1938 and early 1939, even a PERFECTLY FULL strike didn't have "full steps" in the way the later ones did, so a different standard is applied for them. The general way the whole rest of the series is judged for "full steps" only started at Philly around March of 1939, several months later at Denver, and even later than that in San Francisco.

 

I think the hit between I and T on the steps is the big one that would make it not FS

 

I understand so any steps at all they're giving a better grade basically what you're saying it is what it is it's a decent nickel I believe for 7 Bucks and I'm happy to have it and own it that's all that matters

 

There's way too many errors on the 38 if I begin trying to figure out that I'll be up till 4 in the morning or even 6 the s*** drives me crazy

 

Hits on the steps disqualify regardless of the reverse type. Dings are dings. It's the part about step lines going edge to edge on the stairs that is different.

 

I think you overpaid a bit at $7 but not so much that you totally got ripped off. Plus, it's only $7 so no big loss. As long as you are happy, that is what matters.

 

Well, the 1938 is a coin that was "saved" or "put away" in decent numbers. That's what holds its price down today. Those hoarded rolls can and do filter back into the flow of commerce. Remember, Jefferson was only the second real literal person to be featured on a circulating coin. This was still special. At $7 it should be a MS64 in order to be an approximately right price. Yours is nice, but perhaps not that nice.

That said, as I check out "book stock" at big shows, really nice 1938 Jeffs aren't exactly making the binders burst at the binding. They seem a little rarer than "conventional wisdom" would suggest. I find them because I'm looking to get ALL the 1939 types in high grade, and they tend to be "next door".

 

Just curious are nickels your passion in coins in numismatics

 

It’s not a full-blown specialty per se, but it is one of my more thoroughly studied areas. Why? Because the events that led to nickel coinage happened in my metaphorical backyard.