i am starting a collection of step nickels. could any one help me out by explaining what to look for such as explaining full steps and how many steps is in it. on earlier years is less steps acceptable i know it is my owne preference but i would like ideas. thanks wvrick
I am not an expert on nickels by any means but I have learned this about steps. There are four pillers on the front of the Monticello building, which gives three spaces between the pillers. Now going from left to right count the steps under the first space, lets say you can see "4" clean steps. The second space you can see "5" clean steps. The third space you can only see "2" steps. This nickel will have a 4-5-2 steps. There are years that full steps either 5 or 6 are next to impossible to obtain because of poor minting/strikes. Your local book store will have books on steps or go to amazon.com and find a good book on this subject before you start spending money. I have a thing for BU war nickels and my goal is to have a set of full steppers, as I like to call them. Research suggests the coins I want will not be cheap. Good luck and I hope you find what your looking for. Again take the time to educate yourself before you invest. The coins will always be available your money may not, spend wisely.
Walter's answer is very accurate. Also, take the time to visit dealers' cases at a coin show and look thru the inventory. There is no better way to gain knowledge except by viewing for your self. And also read! Good luck.
I'd almost suggest starting out with a matching set of proof jeffersons, either PCGS, or NGC. They are all full steps, and twice as nice looking. You can get a full set of 1974-2006 PR69 DCAMs (deep cameo's are it, for the best the nickel coin has to offer) for generally $10-20 a nickel graded. 1939-1973 will run you more (ok.. more is understating it, a 1960 PR67 DCAM ran me $150) and be a bit trickier. So why am I saying this, being a card carrying FSNC member and collecting FS nickels for 4 years? Well at best it's always a judgement call, regardless if it's graded by a professional or sold by an individual (is that a nick or a tick or a bridge or a cut). It gets mighty expensive, (your collection will never be worth the dollar amount you'll put into it) and there are alot of nickels. Be prepared to spend $3K and still not have a full set. On the other hand it is fun. I think there is a thread under variety nickels that goes into a bit more depth.
Wholly smoke!!! $150.00 for 67 DCAM proof? That happens to be my birth year and being a proof super freak I've been planning on trying to put together a high grade DCAM set. I already have a 68 DCAM dime, which I only payed 50.00 for. My wife had a fit when she found that out. She will choke my eye balls out if I come home with a 150.00 1960 proof nickel. Ah, she'd make me return it. Are high grade DCAM proof nickels that rare? I realize it must be a PCGS slabbed coin and that can make the market demand more for it. I'm just curious and shocked, but I'm sincerely not tring to give you a hard time glaciermi.
From the Full step nickel club newsletter.( Full step Nickels are defined as 5 or 6 unbroken and untagged steps that extend fully from left to right) untaged meaning no Ticks, nicks or bridges. Notice it says 5 OR 6. Most Third party graders call 5 steps Full Steps. NGC and ANACS notes 5 or 6 steps on there slabs. PCGS just says Full Step so they can be 5 or 6 steps. As Walter said There are years that full steps either 5 or 6 are almost impossible to obtain. I would suggest lookin at a proof coin also to get an ideal as to what a full step should look like. Like any series you will learn as you go, But learning is half the fun! Slabed Full step Nickels can get very expensive but I have found at coin shows sometimes you can cherrypick some nice raw coins fairly resonable as a lot dealers don't take the time to really look at those lowly nickels.
It's my birth year also, and that is why I wanted a very nice 1960-current proof set. (We must be married to the same woman as $170 is $169.95 too much ) PCGS pretty much goes like this, and the prices don't fall off the mark too much. Description Desig 65 66 67 68 1960 15 20 30 45 1960 CA 30 35 50 80 1960 DC 75 100 210 475 NGC is very very similar with their UCAMS I do see the occasional ICG, PCI, SGS with lower prices, but I was looking for the best I could afford. I'm still missing my 1961 DCAM, and that looks like it's about to put me back $250-350.
The previous post are all good info but I might suggest The Jefferson Nickel Analyst by Bernard A. Nagengast. This reference breaks down the Jefferson series like no other I've seen and breaks down the Full Step rarity by date. You can pick up a copy on ebay for around $20 or so. I've been a FS nickel collector fo 20+ years and am still looking for tose difficult dates, but I have always tried picking them up raw at shows. You can still find some out there for pennies on the dollar compared to slabbed ones. Also if you like varieties there are a lots of Doubled Dies and Repunched Mint Marks and Over Mint Marks to collect as well. Good Luck!
iam going to tru to get them out of rolls . i have been placing the best coins aside for a while during rollsearches and they may not be perfict but i can always up grade. irealy dont care for the slabed coins i have a few but i think the search through change is what i like. thanks for the advice and comments i bought a album 1962- 1996 and so far i have filled about 48 spots a good start. iusualy go through about $400.00 a week in rolls . ilive in morgantown wv and there is no close shows around the closest that i have heard about is about two howers away and circumstances dont alow for travel. thanks to all wvrick
