Which Jefferson Nickel is Graded Higher and Why? 1943-S vs 1945-D NGC

This thread will be a spin off of the GTG threads that we have become so accustomed to playing. I will present two graded gem Jefferson Nickels and it will be your job to grade each coin and figure out which coin is graded higher by voting in the attached poll. I will list 3 grades for each coin, MS65-MS66-MS67. Each coin is graded one of these grades and neither coin has a + designation. I will also ask you to evaluate the steps of each nickel and you will vote either 5FS (Five Full Steps) or NOT FS for each coin. Once you have voted four times (2 numerical grades & 2 Step grades) you can opine in the comments to explain which coin graded higher, and why.

Coin #1: 1943-S Jefferson Nickel





Coin #2: 1945-D Jefferson Nickel





As always, comments welcome, and please remember to vote in the poll.

 

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The 43S is really a wow coin until you see the gash on the Monticello. The steps have too many flat spots IMO to warrant 5FS MS66

The 45D is kind of Blah, the toning might be better in hand but I am not a fan. Although the luster is somewhat muted it is literally free of distracting marks.
I gave it MS67 5FS.

 

43-S ....67 not fs

45-D...66 5fs

I wanted to go 66+ on the 43-S since I don't think it's quite clean enough for a 67 but it looked better than a 66 and I thought the luster pushed it up...the steps have breaks....I would pick this as the better of the two (eye appeal wise).

The 45-D is a "meh" for me...luster looks to be muted, but it is clean and 5 steps look to be there...it's funny that the steps are better than the 43-S but everything above the steps isn't.

 

Coin 1 - MS66 no FS
Coin 2 - MS67 5FS

 

I voted 66 and 65, neither one FS. Mostly because the first coin is more appealing. I think of "FS" as an overall strike designation, and not just the steps. While the steps on the 45-D are better, the strike on the rest of the reverse is horrible, almost looks like struck thru grease.

 

Coin 1: 67 FS. Nice looking coin.
Coin 2: 65 not FS. Weak strike, and much less luster.

 

67
66 5FS

 

Coin #1 - 65 no-FS (gash rev)
Coin #2 - 66 no-FS (close to FS but no designation)

 

Anyone else wanna take a crack at this?

@brokrken @CamaroDMD @Collecting Nut @paddyman98

 

@RonSanderson @furham @Paddy54

 

Coin #2 MS66-FS
Coin #1 MS67

 

Both coins: MS-66, not FS

 

Coin 1 - MS 66 Not FS. This is a beautiful coin, but I think the scratch on the reverse between the windows on the right side of Monticello keeps it from 67. Strike is just too weak to find 5FS

Coin 2 - I tried to not let the fact that this coin is ugly to me affect my grading. But I see a MS 65 and barely FS. There are nicks on the lip, hair, collar and shoulder that I think keep this from a higher grade.

As usual, I bet I'm a grade low on each compared to what the TPG says

 

1. MS67
2. MS66 5FS

 

1. MS66
2. MS66 5FS

Here are my thoughts:

Coin 1: This coin has better eye appeal of the two because of the clearly booming luster and great strike. I think the coin is MS67 all day long except for the big hit on the reverse on Monticello (on the building just above and between the "L" and "O" in "Monticello"). As a result, I think this coin is a 66/67 slider that gets knocked down to 66.

What I find interesting about this coin is the windows and pillars are very definely struck but the steps are not. This coin loses the FS notation below the third pillar for sure and maybe below the second. I would call this a 5-4-3-5.


Coin 2: Clean and sharp coin. Luster is a bit muted by the golden and somewhat mottled toning (which I think is unaesthetic). I think this coin is a 65/66 slider that gets the 66. Overall the strike on this coin is weaker than coin 1...everywhere but the steps. I think this is a 5FS coin all day long...but an overall weakly struck example.

 

43 - 65NFS
45 - 66FS

The slice in Monticello on the 43, and the nick below the O held it back. Steps are self-explanatory IMO on this coin.

The small hit on J's lapel, the overall weak strike, and the lack of eye appeal held me back from 67 (but it probably is). Steps appear fully struck.

 

the 1943 I think... It would be no question the coin I would pick (I don't care for the toning on the other)

 

I make no claim to be a Nickel guy.

43 MS67 - No FS
45 MS65 - No FS (close, but no cigar - breaks in the bottom row)

 

Coin #1: 1943-S Jefferson Nickel NGC MS67 (No line fatty holder)

This coin is essentially flawless except for the scratch on the right side of Monticello and the photo makes it appear worse than it really is. The coin misses 5FS, but I consider this coin correctly graded at MS67.




Coin #2: 1945-D Jefferson Nickel NGC MS67 (No line fatty holder)

I boggles the mind how this coin ended up in an MS67 holder. The surfaces are there, but the strike is abysmal despite the fact that the steps are full. This coin was graded prior to NGC adopting the 5FS designation so I will have to send it in for regrade to get it. The luster is muted and the overall eye appeal is terrible.




I think these coins are a very good example of why technical grading and using surface preservation as the deciding factor in grading fails. Yes, coin #2 has marginally better surfaces than coin #1, but nobody, and I mean nobody who saw these two coins in hand side by side would say that coin #2 should be the higher graded coin.