Look through alot of Nickels I think This is Only my 2nd. The other is very worn. Key Date. 7.8 million minted. Little greaser on the Reverse.
Help, please...unless I'm missing something besides my wife's birth year, what is "key date" about this, or...?
That's the rarest type... In nickels, there aren't many that are worth more than a dollar, so ones like this get lumped in with the key dates.
It's my birth year too. 7.9 million minted, the only ones lower are the 1950-D, 1938-D and-S, 1939-D and S, and 1951S. So I guess you could call the 1955-P a "semi-key", but the only real "key date" is the 50-D
I'm not feeling the key date label either. Lesser mintage than other years? For certain. That doesn't make it a key date. Now don't flame me on this. Just my opinion, not full steps
Not really a key date. Even the 1950-D was once claimed to be the key date but, its easier to find one in mint state verses worn. Lay were horded. I can think of two dates that may be considered key the 94 and 95 matt finish.
You're a little on the excited side. There's no need to explain it's just your opinion, we know it. But you should try to learn right, as it will pay dividends in the long-run.
As our fellow enthusiasts note, the 1950 D is considered the Key Date for the series, but there are several Semi Key Dates for the series. 1938D and S, 1939 D and S, and a few of the other low mintage Jeffersons (usually those under 10M). However, there are a number of 'common' date/mm that are desirable. 1942 D, 1955, and 1958 come to mind. The 1955 above appears to be from the sharper obverse die set, which are even harder to find for the date. Most found in circulation will be the washed out obverse design. Taking a look at my circulation roll set, I have a roll of them, so I eventually hit that milestone, but my 1942 D roll is about 3/4 there with twice as many produced. It may be a location thing (closer to Philly than to Denver). It's all relative.
Well aware of the 50-D status, but the coin photo posted with the key date reference is/was a 1955 (P)...??? That was the reason for my question.
I had/have never even considered it a key date...still don't...so didn't mean to disappoint any enthusiasm.
No worries, I understood the point of your comment, but just wanted to offer that many folks, including CRH enthusiasts, don't realize there are hidden 'goodies' in the coins they might otherwise see as Common and pass right over. To your point of not considering the 50 D as a Key Date, what makes it 'key' isn't necessarily the same criteria that makes another coin in another series, 'key'. As I'm sure you are aware, 50 D's in BU condition are easier and cheaper to come by than a number of other Jefferson nickels. Knowing you can buy one cheap might not make it 'key' for some folks. But finding a worn 50D in circulation, a real challenge. In building my roll set, I've found some dates very challenging over the years. Other years a breeze to build in AU/BU grades. Some challenging common dates as I recall (probably several more I'm missing without looking at the set): 1942 D in VF or better condition 1951/1951 D in VF or better condition 1952 D in XF or better condition 1970s nickels in AU/BU condition 1982 P and D in XF or better condition especially AU or better 1983 P and D in XF or better condition especially AU or better 1984 P in AU or better condition 1986 D in AU or better condition When you find an AU/BU specimen of these, they are likely worth more than most/all of the older Jeffersons a CRH enthusiast normally pulls from circulation. And when folks factor in the varieties, most of these are worth more too. But to each their own...including how they feel about definitions like 'key'. I think that those building circulation sets will have a broader definition relative to the time and volume committed to that endeavor. I know my definition has changed relative to my own experiences with CRH events.
