Ok, What's the deal with this coin? http://cgi.ebay.com/1883-B-U-LIBERTY-NICKEL-OUTSTANDING-BEAUTY_W0QQitemZ320067435709QQihZ011QQcategoryZ11953QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem Look at the stars on the obverse right side. Lines tailing off the points? Also something funny with the top of the edge on Obverse. Fake or real?
The feature near the stars you are referring to are die cracks. They are extremely common on coins of this year. The feature on the obverse rims is just the way these were struck sometimes -- either a die crack/cud or a kind of like "wire edge" that is often seen on proofs and early St. Gaudens. Neither are anything to worry about, and I think the coin is both authentic and desireable (although I would prefer one with a slightly stronger strike), not to mention that the current price is very low. Here is the example of this coin from my collection, and you will notice similar looking die cracks: Hope this helps...Mike
The mint was still relatively new at striking coins in the nickel metal. It is a very hard element, and as is very common on the shield nickel, die cracks often showed up due to the striking pressure that the planchets required in order to be properly struck.
I don't mean to contradict you, but the mint had been producing nickel coins since 1865 in the form of the three cent piece, and since 1866 with the shield nickels -- for almost twenty years by the time this coin was minted, so it was hardly "new" by this time. You are correct in that nickel is a harder metal, requires additional pressure to be struck, and as a result die cracks were more common on this material, but inexperience is not the culprit -- not-hard-enough die steel and/or overuse of dies was the more likely cause. Take care...Mike
