a co-worker just sold me a bag of 350 old jefferson nickels. Not a bad price either, just a tad over face @ $20 for the whole lot (he set the price at $17.50, i thought an even $20 was a better deal for him - or did i still steal them??). My question is .. and I know next to nothing about jeffersons ... is what to look for? what are the rare dates to keep my eye out for? any known errors? The bag consists of a good mix from the late 30's to the early 60's with a couple that looked like it still had the original mint luster in parts. Even if i dont find any rare or key dates, getting a bag of coins like this for just over face is pretty cool.
Check the Red Book, which lists several valuable varieties. If there are any silver nickles in the bag, they carry enough of a premium to cover your $2.50 price bump, which BTW proves you are a genuine "nice guy".
