Hello, first post. Long time casual collector of foreign coins and currency. Just inherited a bag full of about 130 Liberty Nickels, mostly 1910-1913. For one, I am interested in any resources to determine their value and history. Secondly, where can I get the following defined for me? [SIZE=-1]G-4[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]F-12[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]EF-40[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]AU-50[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]MS-60[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]MS-63[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]MS-64[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]MS-65[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]PR-60[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]PR-63[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]PR-64[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]PR-65[/SIZE] Thanks so much, ManaHei
Not sure on the values, but those sound gradings. They're a (semi subjective) opinion of how good the coin is. The letters correspond to: almost good, good, very good, fine, extra fine, almost uncirculated, mint state, and proof state (off the top of my head so I may have missed one). Proof refers to a special collectors coin, and mint state refers to a general ciculation coin. The numbers go from 1-60. A 60 is perfect. I"m sure someone can point you to a link with more info on the grading.
Do you mean dates from 1910-1912? Because only 5 were made with the date 1913, and not released into circulation. If you really have a 1913 liberty head, it's either exceedingly rare or fake.
still, if he has any 1913 V nickels, they are most likely fakes manahei: please count them and post pictures of any 1913 you have. if you don't have a camera, take them to a coin dealer... he will confirm if they are fake or not
Buy the ANA Grading Guide and all these terms will be described in detail. Another good resource is Photograde, although it does not distinguish between MS or PR grades...Mike
No research that I know of indicates that six were struck. All the stories of six trace back to one of two reasons. One was old stores about the case that held the nickels while they were owned by Col Green having six holes and there for there might be a sixth one, or attempts to trace the pedigrees of all the coins not being able to account for the fact that there seemed to be pedigrees for six coins. This was finally straighted out when it turned out that the so-called Reynolds specimen doesn't really exist and is actually the the samecoin as the Walton specimen that had been missing since his death in a car accident in 1962 until it was brought to the ANA convention a couple years ago. As for the holder, the description of it as having six holes was an error, it has eight holes and held the five V nickels, a copper die trial of the Buffalo nickel, A coppernickel pattern of the Buffalo without the designers initial, and a regular business strike 1913 Type I Buffalo nickel. The holder (with the buffalos) is still owned by Eric Newman who purchased it with all eight nickels from the Green estate.
There was a small article in the ANA mag. a few months ago about a guy that said that he had found info saying that there was a 6th and he was researching this... Speedy
