No better than 64 with the brown spot. Get it reholdered to get that hair off the reverse, too, or it'll grow more problems.
You know NGC at one time was very good on grading nickels.I have to say this specimen was graded on a Monday or Friday,as no way is this specimen a 65 ! Sorry no way! I wouldn't pay 60 money for it .
Not looking for a debate here. Paddy guessed 64 yesterday and now won't pay 60 money for it. NGC graded it a PR 65. That's a low grade for a Proof. Of coarse the PCGS MS66 looks much nicer.
PF-65 isn't such a low grade for a 1942 Proof Nickel. Remember that these were sold as singles and as such weren't generally as protected or as doted over as what you may be accustomed to. The PCGS coin does look better, but it is a Type II coin (silver) rather than the OP's coin which is copper nickel, and as such would likely have struck better.
Yes I said 64 yesterday and to be honest that was a stretch at that, and no I wouldn't buy the coin in the first place. Take an honest look at the coin spotted , lack luster for a proof, and weak strike . 1942 Proof type 1 a little over 29000 minted in 63 it's a $30 coin in 65 a $60 coin.
One other point on nickel collecting one really needs to examine the coin well. I have sent in to both pcgs and NGC nickels ms and proof Jefferson's , Buffalo's and yes they graded but some where down the road they start to grown green spots of copper leaches out,right where those spots were. Carbon spots also can make a killer nickel loose tons of value. The OP nickel from the original image almost looks dipped to my eye. It is a weak strike look at the Monticello VERY Weak details. My point is trust your eye before you trust the slab grade.
Santinidollar I appreciate your trust on the subject matter ,however as a human I can be wrong as in this case. Again what you see in an image and in hand are two different things. Unless the image is spot on,but even then nothing beats in hand and a good eye.
Those are the words of experience. Again I agree. I'm not much of a nickel guy but I have a friend who is and I grade his nickels before he sends them in. He trusts me and I do pretty well, but I need the coin in hand. I really can't judge from a picture yet. If I need extra help I use a scope, can't go wrong then.