I saw this cool looking Nickel on ebay but im not too sure on the meaning "Plate coin" can anyone help me out on what exactly this means?
I think in this particular instance, the seller simply termed the name "Plate coin" and I think he simply means that it's not a regular nickel b/c you can see the actual lettering from the nickel folder it acquired it's toning from. That's my take on it, please if I'm wrong and you can tell me why, please do. It wouldn't hurt my feelings one bit as I'm here to learn, teach and get schooled and not necessarily in any kind of order! https://www.ebay.com/itm/1988-P-Jef...494078&hash=item33eb4fe433:g:6BEAAOSwSg5bBzpY
"Plate coins" comes from the days of reference books and a specific coin being included on the photographic plates. http://www.pcgscoinfacts.com/Coin/Detail/4120
This. Or in other words it's the first coin you see when you look up that date and mint mark on coin facts
I think because the eBay coin says "PCGS Plate Coin" they are referencing the coin being one of the photographs displayed on the front page of that particular series, date and mintmark in CoinFacts. These in reality are not plate coins because as soon as another same or greater graded example is photographed it will be replaced and eventually moved to the secondary page.
In this particular instance Plate Coin is not referencing any catalog or book. They are making reference to the photographs appearing in PCGS's CoinFacts. The larger photographed coin on this CoinFacts page is the eBay coin. The term plate coin in this case is misleading because it is a temporary position until another MS65 or higher is made and photographed.