Posting Jefferson nickels in order by date

I have been behind on a couple.
Proofs
55' 57' jet black 64' 63P

 

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65 SMS 65 BS

 

1966
Edit: Posted the wrong year! Thanks to @Pickin and Grinin for letting me know.




1966 SMS
1966 is the second year without any branch mint marks, and with only Special Mint Sets instead of proofs. The Dansco contains only a single slot for 1966, which the original collector filled with the business strike shown above.

I found this SMS and put it in a 2x2 with the other proofs. This one is graded MS67. It is closer to a proof in quality, but it lacks the lustrous mirror surfaces.

 

My 66 BS was a circulation find With a clipped planchet.
Pocket change and not much to look at. 66SMS
I would give this one a Cameo at best. it is still lacking full steps under the third pillar.

 

1967
1967 once again saw all the mints producing coins without mint marks. The strategy was to address a severe coin shortage that started in the early 1960s. The business strike, here, was produced in Denver, while the SMS edition, below, was produced in San Francisco. No nickels were produced in Philadelphia in 1967.

The original collector used the SMS in the 1967 slot instead of a business strike. This one was acquired by me. It is shiny and lustrous although it has issues with the planchet and the strike.

It may deserve the rare "no steps, no porch" designation. I'm glad Monticello has a back door because nobody is going in or out of the front one.




1967 SMS (from the Dansco)
San Francisco did a nice job producing this proof-like SMS. Perhaps they were practicing for the Proofs they would make the next year with the S mint mark.

 

SMS series

1965



1966


1967

 

Awesome looking 67'

 

+1

 

1968-D
Mintmarks return in 1968 in a new location on the obverse. It may seem odd at first that there are no Philadelphia mint nickels. It's really the same as 1967 where only Denver and San Francisco produced nickels. The new mintmarks just make it obvious.

Monticello has been touched up this year. The windows and portico are much sharper. But, NGC only has 33 graded at MS67 and none higher. (This one is raw.) Even though this coin is now 50 years old, it's becoming harder to research grading, sales, and value information. Maybe people still think you can still grab them out of circulation if you need one.

 

1968-S
The original collector again used a proof in the only 1968-S slot available in the Dansco. This is the MS66 business strike picked up to replace it. At $18 it is the second most expensive non-proof I needed to complete the set. (I paid 76 cents more for a 50-D.) For most coins, this can be a very affordable series to collect.





1968-S Proof
From the Dansco. While the obverse looks Cameo to me, Monticello is far too reflective for that designation.


Edit: There is a repunched mint mark variety for this proof. I don't know if this is it or not. An RPM FS-501 sold at Great Collections in 2014 for $1705.

 

1968-D:



1968-S:



My collection gets a little sparse after this, I don't have much from the last 50 years.

 

1969-D

 

1969-S
The Dansco had a proof in the 1969-S slot. I got this business strike from an online dealer to replace it.



I saw this on eBay and really needed it. The one above now graces the Dansco, and this is in a plastic 2x2 in a tray with the proofs. I had to beat out 5 other bids but it was still under $5.





1969-S Proof
50 cents at a local coin show.



And, finally, this Proof was found by the original collector and comes from the Dansco.

Although filling an album implies that you have exactly one example of each coin, this year really shows why it's good to break that rule from time to time. I really like each one of these four.​

 

That 69-S is an easy MS67

 

I thought so as well. But, then, things get crazy.

Let's say I bought the untoned one from an online store, let's call it Dave's, as an unslabbed "Choice BU" for $2.12. The purple one was from eBay at $4.52. I hope I'm right that you are referring to the toned one, but they are both terrific.

Then let's say, just for fun, that I go to NGC Coin Explorer and look at the values. They don't even give a price guideline for MS67. They stop at MS66 for $325.

OK, then I follow some of the auction links to see if this looks like an MS66. There aren't many where I looked, but I find a sale of an MS66 at Heritage in 2010. That's for $345. Great Collections sold an MS66 in 2013 for $220. Neither has ever sold an MS67.

I am left to conclude that an MS67 price would be exponentially higher. NGC has only graded three of them, and PCGS one, after all. So for a Top Pop coin - four figures? PCGS suggests $3,850.

So yes, I am just puzzled. On the one hand I am picking up beautiful gems online and at coin shows for under $5 each. All four 69-S coins together totaled less than $15. On the other hand I see high-end sales for hundreds of dollars for coins that I feel don't measure up to my $2-$5 coins.

I think I understand the coin market a little less with every coin I buy.

 

Actually, I was talking about the untoned one. At premium gem level, luster is key. The luster on the purple one seems a tad subdued. The luster on the untoned one could light up a small town.

If you like the purple one better, keep it for your album and then send the untoned one in for grading. If it comes back MS67, you make a huge profit and if it gets MS66 you break even. Win-win scenario.

As for pricing, it is very difficult because the populations are so small and these coins don't get into real auctions much. E-Bay would probably be your best source for pricing. I paid $250 for my 1969-D NGC MS67 a few years ago.



As for why your coins are $2-$5 instead of hundreds, they are raw. If you get them graded, you could also sell yours for hundreds. And let me tell ya, Ive seen you post a bunch of premium gem coins in this thread.

 

I won't deny that you've got me thinking. I appreciate that.

I've a number of coins, not just these Jefferson's, that tantalize me. Are they as good as I think they are, or not? Could I consign them to a quality auction, and what would they bring there? Would I get anything decent on eBay, or is that the wrong audience? And, I do like my photos, but would they help me sell the coins?

I guess if I'm to become a complete collector I should put my toe in the waters of grading, and selling. After all, I like the coins, but perhaps I would like turning them over for some more coin money, too!

 

1970-D

 

Wow, that’s nice, Jeff is clean!

 

That third one..... /drools