Hmmmm, Really? Okay, thanks. Appreciate your feedback. From what @Lehigh96 original article said, if the bottom edge of the mintmark is noticeably located below the bottom edge of the window on Monticello it's a large mintmark. Mine looks definitely below. I hope others will chime in here. Thanks again!
With Lehigh96's information to go on - and he's a reference source for me - it sure looks like a Large S.
Thank you! Finally, a positive/favorable response. Someone who agrees with me. I've run this 41-S past four other people....they all thought it was a small mint mark. Including my LCS, which was very surprising to me! I actually don't think the guy knew about these small and large mint marks or cared. I hope to get a few more eyes from here on it. Thanks Dave!
Well, it's not exactly S-VDB-level popularity; you can't really expect every LCS type to be expert on their identification. In fact, I'm actually in the process of talking myself into wondering about it - preliminary overlaying in the Gimp (although it's tough to achieve similar scale from imperfect images of far differing sizes, since they don't provide identical reference points) gives favorable results for mint mark size and location, though.
Looks like a small S to me, but I'm not near my collection right now, so cannot confirm. When I put my large S next to a small, the difference is clear. Try comparing your coin against a common large S coin, like 1954-S and against a 1940-S. The 40-S is small. IIRC, the different sized letters s and S are a slightly different font. Beautiful coin nonetheless.
@TJ1952, IMHO the mint mark on you coin looks nothing like and is not even close to the correct shape of the "Large S" variety! Forget the distance from the steps as that is not a diagnostic of anything. Look at the comparison photo's in Cherrypickers. It is a nice coin though.
Okay, I'm digging my heals in here. First, thanks to each of you on this thread for your feedback. @Christobal and @Insider this is directed to you guys. @Christobal - I did a comparison on another thread. @Insider - I didn't say anything about distance from the steps. I was talking about the bottom of the S being below the bottom of the window. I've been having a one-on-one conversation @John77 over on: https://www.cointalk.com/threads/1941-s-large-s-jefferson-nickel.280945/ He agrees with you guys. Please, when you both get a minute (no rush) could you check out this thread and digest it. I posted some comparison pictures there. I was hoping @Lehigh96 would chime in here for his opinion but I haven't heard from him. Thanks! tj
Steps, window, whatever Steps are below the mint mark and window is to the left. It is in the OP and I wanted everyone + you to know that the location of the "S" means nothing to me (UNLESS he can prove that only one reverse die was made) and I don't know why it was even posted. The shape of the "S" is what counts. Are you convinced? Small "s."
Hmmm, okay. Mike- did you look at the comparison photos I posted on post #16 on the thread I attached above? There is a distinct difference in size between the 41-S and the 40-S. So location means nothing? Okay thanks. I can't find the comparison photos on Cherrypickers. Can you send it to me?
Nope, Don't have the means. It is in the book so someone here can. Just go back to the OP's photos. They are good enough and no need to look at the marks on other dates. It is probably on the Internet too. Type in San Francisco mint mark styles or something like that.
Okay, this is a test. It's easy. Only one true or false question. Ready? 1) Both pictures below are small mint marks. True or False
The answer for me is: FALSE. They are NOT both small mint marks. I say the second photo (the one at the bottom) is a large S, mint mark. My reasoning is that the OP says (something like) "If it looks like you could fit (hypothetically) an additional S MM below the example, it is most likely a small MM." If you cannot (hypothetically) fit an S MM in the space located below the existing MM , then it's probably a large MM." The second photo doesn't show enough space for an "S" below the existing MM, and therefore looks to me like the4 large MM variety. Jack
Jack- You're my new friend! I see and understand every ones point. I just wish I had a consensus on this. I can see it coming, @Insider is going to force me to submit this coin.
I'm getting confused. The coin in Post#41 is a small "S." The coins in Post#56 are both small "S" varieties.