Hello everyone, hope I'm the right site to post this. I found a nickel with no mint mark 1939, so I googled some info and found what I guess they call this a Henning nickel not sure. The article reads: There are no known mint error 1944 nickels lacking a mintmark. No one is quite sure why he did it, but Francis LeRoy Henning of Erial, N.J., was responsible for your fake “Henning nickel.” Henning produced his own 1939, 1944, 1946, 1947 and 1953 nickels. There is a low spot or void at the “R” in “Pluribus” on most of his fakes. His coins weigh 5.4 grams while genuine nickels weigh 5.0 grams. I weighed this coin but it's weight is 4.9 grams which is a genuine nickel right? Except without the mint mark. Can you tell me if this is just a regular nickel? Thank you
The wartime silver nickels all had large mintmarks above Monticello (1942-1945, except some 1942's are non-silver and don't have the large mintmark). All 1944 nickels should have a large mintmark. If you find one that doesn't have one, it is a Henning. Lots of stories about them, Google and read... I don't think yours is one.
A normal 1939 with the correct reverse design (some were minted with the reverse design from 1938). The obverse design on the Henning is washed out severely and it appears as a heavily worn nickel (even from the day it was coined). Over time, it starts to appear period.
Compare your 39 reverse motto (E pluribus Unum) and the one on the Henning counterfeit, particularly the R. https://www.error-ref.com/henning-counterfeit-nickel/
I'm not sure that for the 1939, the R is a good indicator. For my Henning, the Dot was the indicator.
As I went through the dates, I started by weighing the coins. Nothing registered as being too high. I then went through the dates looking for the hole in the R. Again, nothing. When I got to the Dot, that's when I found my Henning. I think that the way to enter it is with study and patience. For example, I knew that there were a few known reverse dies, but nobody was sure that all reverse dies were established as known. So, it's possible that other obverse dies, for the established dates, and other reverse dies are still to be recognized.
Good that you did a little research. I find the facts of why anyone would counterfeit a nickel to be quite interesting. Your's looks to be a normally circulated nickel.
Yes, I passed over it initially. But thankfully, I tossed it into 'the hoard' for subsequent variety hunting. In the end, it's the most valuable nickel find I've had to date.
Die, "no mint mark" stuff, die. Please die. I don't know where it comes from, but please die already. Die. Sorry, I had to vent. No offense.
