This thread will be a slight variation on a guess the grade thread. I will present 3 different 1953 Jefferson Nickels and you will have to decide which of the three coins you prefer, and then attempt to grade the nickel of your choice. Here are the instructions. View the three coins shown below and choose the one you prefer. Then grade that coin with respect to both numerical grade and + designation. Finally, enter your information in the attached poll. You must vote for one of the first 3 options (Coin #1, Coin #2, or Coin #3), then you must also vote for the numerical grade of the coin you selected as well. Coin #1: Coin #2: Coin #3: Please remember to vote in the attached poll and please provide your comments for why you chose the coin that you did. Thank you for your participation.
I like coin #1. I think it has the best strike and die state of the group and I like the toning. Coin #2 has a few to many marks on the obverse for me and the reverse strike isn't great. Coin #3 is definitely a tired die...which is cool in its own way but I only have 1 coin of a given date I'd prefer a fuller struck example. I do think coin #3 is the cleanest of the bunch and might be the highest grade. Grade wise, this is my thought: Coin 1: MS66 Coin 2: MS65 Coin 3: MS66+ My preferred coin is Coin #1 which I believe is a MS66.
I picked coin #3 and MS 66 ...it appears to have the best luster ...I think the marks on Jefferson's cheek unfortunately prevent it from getting up to 67 (but it's possible). Coin #1 was my second choice and coin #2 was last (mushiest reverse)
My guesses are as follows. Coin #1 - 66 (this is the one I selected) Coin #2 - 65 Coin #3 - 65+ I think coin #1 has by far the best eye appeal given the strength of strike and the patina. It’s the only coin you can see all the windows of Monticello and most all of the columns. Coins #2 and #3 both seem to suffer from an exhausted die and some strike weakness. I also think the lack of patina makes the contact marks seem much more severe. I don’t think either of these two grade above gem 65. I gave coin #3 a + because I’m confident it has the most blazing luster of the three but not enough to move it into 66 territory. Coins #2 and #3 also have “WE TRUST” really flowing into the rim where coin #1 has much more sharp legends.
I chose coin 3 at MS 65 no plus. Number 1 is probably the nicest overall but I can't look past the x under the eye. I know it is just random but it bugs me. Number 2 is a bit mushier and has a weak strike with planchet roughness; also has the scuff at the top of the head. Number 3 has the cleanest obverse but a couple of large hits. I think they all actually grade the same at MS 65 no plus, for different reasons.
#1 is my favorite, mostly because it's EDS compared with the rest. All seem to suffer from planchet marks that weren't struck out, although #3 less than the others. I suppose #3 might grade 66, although the marks on it look more like hits. I'd put them all at 65, since it's tough to pick out one I like a lot better than the others, although #2 is my least favorite, so I'll say it has the lowest grade if they differ. The slab needs some polishing on that one.
Ok, so the results are pretty much split between Coin #1 (Strike guys) and Coin #3 (Luster guys). I am solidly in the Coin #3 camp as the coin has the best luster I have ever seen on a 1950's Jefferson Nickel. Coin #1: 1953 NGC MS67 Coin #2: 1953 PCI MS67 Coin #3: 1953 PCI MS67 So here is what is going to happen. Coin #3 has been cracked out and is being submitted to NGC. No matter what the assigned grade, it will be replacing Coin #1 in my registry collection, and Coin #1 is going up on the block.
@Lehigh96, as a Jefferson guy with coins in hand, how do you grade them? It looks like I gave too much weight to the planchet marks that weren't struck out, but 67 is a top pop grade for these.
Coin #1 is clean & well struck but lacks the luster requisite for an MS67 grade, especially when the population is 11/1. I have this coin as a solid MS66. Coin #2 is a high end MS65 or low end MS65. Coin #3 probably has just a few too many marks for MS67 but the luster and eye appeal are MS68 quality. My grade would be MS66+ but obviously I’m hoping for MS67.
Uff-da. It's a fool's errand to try and find a wheel mark without the coin in hand. This is where a very small, bright light and tilting the coin around like crazy might reveal something. Maybe the haze in the left field was added to hide it.
This would be a coin that would be nice to see in hand because clearly we are all missing something somewhere. What now?
