1961 BU Jefferson nickel. This is a full step with ticks or incomplete spots in some of the steps which prevented it from getting a full step designation from PCGS, however it is a nice looking coin with a great strike. Would this still be considered a Rare Coin ? Value? hmmm!:kewl: Here's a couple photo(s) You be the Judge!
From the pictures, I agree with PCGS's decision not to award the full-steps designation. I use the quarter-step grading method, and I'd probably call it 5-5-3-5, or something like that. That being said, I would argue that the coin would bring a premium if being sold to a nickel collector who was looking for well-struck pieces. It likely wouldn't bring near the normal full-step premium for this date, but it would probably be a significant premium over the normal gem BU price. Is it rare? Well, that's an issue of semantics. I would say that I don't consider it rare, but I would feel safe in saying that, among all 1961 Jefferson nickels struck, it is a conditional rarity.
