200th Post - Racketeer Nickel

Hello CT. For my 200th post I wanted to create a thread for one of the pieces I find most interesting, the racketeer nickel. Ever since I heard the story I found it cool and fascinating and always wanted to own one. I picked it up at my local shop and just now got around to photographing it. Would love to see some others out there. Post if you have them and if you didn't know about the history I hope you enjoyed the read.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

When do you think the gold wash was applied to this coin? Judging from the circulation wear, it couldn't have been more than a few decades ago at most.

Chris

 

Thanks for that bit of trivia.

 

a genuine racketeer nickel should show as much wear on the plating as there is on the coin itself.

 

FYI:

There is considerable debate about the quote: "I'm just joshing"

There is one big time dealer/writer in particular (who I can't recall at the moment) who gets mad whenever he hears this, and insists that it is a bogus recitation

 

Ignore the second paragraph on that holder, it is all bunk. That numismatic nonsense has been around for decades and is still being repeated for the mis-information of newbies.

 

Considering the etymology of the word josh, meaning to trick, fool or joke with, dates back to the 1840's I seriously doubt a con from the 1880's would be the source. Also there has never been any documentation found that this Mr Josh Tatum ever existed.

 

I'm glad I posted this as I have learned even more from the posts in between. Can always count on CT for passing the knowledge buck.

 

The American Historic Society ( as seen on the OP's packaging) is notorious for selling over priced novelty items. Here is one they are selling right now for $130.00. So the racketeer nickel was probably not made all that long ago and plated by them. Shady, gray area marketing for newbies.

 

I got one for a couple bucks, it was in AU/BU condition though.

 

But you get the wood box!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

• 

 

I don't trust that any racketeer nickel is original and can't be proved either way. However, I do think they're cool and when they're cheap I pick them up. A cool coin, well over a hundred years old and only costs $10-15, how can I say no? I hate it when people try to pass off any date V nickel that's been plated as a "racketeer" nickel. Just got this one at last months coin club auction for $12

 

Do they have a space in a DANSCO collectors album - or is it just a worthless collectible?

 

I'd be curious to know, with todays science, if there is any way to test the surface gold of these to tell if it's newer or older. Maybe physicsfan could chime in on this.