Is this a proof coin? 1969 Nickel pics inside

I found this coin today when looking through a roll of nickels. It stood out immediately as it's extremely shiny and pretty well defined, sorry about the pictures had trouble getting a good one to really show how shiny it is. So I'm not sure if it was a proof coin that someone put into circulation or something? My wife, kids and I decided we'd keep it as it's overall very nice looking and were curious about it. Not really sure if I'm posting in the right section but thanks in advance for any opinions on it.

 

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I think it is. The "S" mintmark is a good start, and it does have a cameo quality to it with very reflective fields. I'll say it is.

 

It looks like a proof to me.

 

Definitely a proof. Did you put it on the milk jug under the light in the fridge? I've done that before I got my camera..haha!

 

No lol I put it on top of a container of Tang I keep on my nightstand to flavor water with it seemed to work better than the table itself with reflecting the light.

 

There were close to 3 million proofs and 120 million business strikes date 1969-S. The idea that all "S" coins were proofs is not correct until later. Check the redbook to be sure.

 

I would venture to say that this coin is indeed a proof.

 

Love your find. As a collector of circulated coins, this is what I am always after. A nicely stuck coin with great features.

While possibly a proof nickel that found it"s way into circulation, it is still a nickel. WIth the commodity price of nickel, any nickel is worth more than it's face value. In my house, we don't spend nickels, we save them. The only coin other than the 1982 penney thats worth what you pay for them.

CD

see

 

Absolutely! I remember one evening a few years back when I made this same assumption and was soundly corrected by a team of YN's. LOL

 

I checked my sets, and the only cameo ones I have are proofs.

 

typically, gary, the proof coins that you see today are all deep cameo, but this was the exception rather than the rule in the 1960s.

Just like in School we can say that:

A deep cameo coin is likely a proof coin, but not all proof coins have deep cameos.

 

Although every proof coin should have a frosty, maybe cameo, appearance using polished dies and multistrikes, it may not. the more telling is the square flat rim/edge of such coins. If there is any chamfering ( rounding) of the edge, it is a business strike, even though it may have a cameo type of appearance as some business strikes were from leftover polished proof dies, after no further need for striking proofs.

Jim