I'm not really into nickels but i picked up this key for my small set of Jeffersons. Can you guys give me your opinions on the grade for it? (sorry for not taking it out of the flip yet.) Thanks.
Based on the images I am going to say it's a MS66...it might even go FS but I can't tell for sure as they look a bit week in a spot or two but it might be the plastic 2X2
go with a 64-66 but the pics for me seem a bit "fuzzy" or grainy still..Ive wanted to get one of those myself so cool coin
I would say its a very nice AU. The high areas seem to be missing detail but then again it could just be the pictures.
The rims are too crisp to be a AU, it appears to be a BU but somewhat of a weak strike or late die state. You guys are pretty good at determining FS from these images! Low mintage non-sleeper...they have been collected since 1950 Happy Collecting
So you are saying that is an AU coin? I think that is a 65+ coin. i.e $30 - $150 and that is not counting the steps, but I doubt they are full.
It's a product of familiarity. I live in an area which retained the entire range of Jeffersons well into the 70s. The 50-D was about the only difficult find. These were also higher grade on average than the wheaties and silver coins. Of course, we never contemplated nor looked for steps, bands or torches then. We might look for Lincoln in his Memorial or windows on Monticello.
I say AU. The 50D is highly over rated IMHO these were saved and speculated on since 1950. Very common in MS-65 FS at $30 -$50 range (Slabbed) can pick up nice raw ones at coin shows for $15 -$20 range and just about every dealer has them.
I think based on what I see AU is stretching it. There is no way with the gouge on the left side of the steps that it would ever go Full. Not in my book anyway.. I seen a BU roll of 50D's sell at the show Sunday for $275.00 (dealer to dealer). Bid is $320 most dealers are buying them at about 20 back. I see common BU's in showcases all the time and you can pretty much name your price and buy them within reason. The coin in the OP, has rubs or what look like rubs to me on the collar, the cheek, the hair, and the dome on the reverse. Nice coin but I don't see MS.
I don't know how we are expected to give and accurate grade bases on photos at an extreme angle. Having said that, I concur with the AU crowd. And even if the coin is MS, there is no way that it will grade above MS65 despite what appears to be excellent surface preservation. I am not trying to be mean but this is one of the ugliest Jefferson Nickels I have ever seen. The strike is terrible, the luster is terrible, and the eye appeal is beyond terrible. Anyone who thinks they can give an opinion on the steps of this coin based on those photos is fooling themselves IMO. I reserve the right to change my opinion of this coin once a proper photo is presented. To the OP, I sorry for being brutally honest but I felt that it was necessary given some of the optimistic posts in this thread.
Thanks for all the responses so far. Lehigh no need to apologize. I admit my picture skills are still far from perfect. Plus I was keeping if in the flip encase I would decide to take it back. I'll try to get better shots some time today. Also I don't believe this coin would make FS. The guy I got it from thought it would make uncirculated. My grading skills on nickels and anything in higher grades still need a lot of work. But I was thinking no higher then 63 and possibly AU. The strike looks weak to me but I'm not seeing anything I would call wear on the back. The front has some spots on the high points but I'm not sure if its wear or just breaks in the tone. Thanks.
I hope these pictures are a little better. I tried getting one of the steps but couldn't get a good one. If you look close you can kinda see that the last step merges with the bottom. Thanks.
