1908 Liberty Nickels Tough In Higher Grades

PCGS - The Liberty nickels series ran from 1883 through 1913 and makes for a tidy but challenging series that still lures collectors today. And while the Liberty nickels offer a variety of key dates (namely the 1885, 1886, and 1912-S) as well as the esoteric rarity known as the 1913 proof, there are plenty of dates that are far more approachable yet also offer their own niche of numismatic intrigue.

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This could be said about the 1908 Liberty nickel, an issue struck at the Philadelphia Mint to the tune of 22,684,557 pieces. That was significantly fewer than the nearly 40 million churned out the year before, yet about double the figure that was struck the following year in 1909 - a coin many Liberty nickel enthusiasts regard as a better date.

The 1908 Liberty nickels are decidedly common in most grades - certainly among the circulated set. In fact, PCGS estimates some 80,000 exist across the grading spectrum, affording plenty of examples to meet demand for this coin. Pricing certainly bears out this fact, with most specimens grading below XF40 and selling for less than $30 to $40. It's in the higher grades where this coin's scarceness really begins influencing more robust pricing. When you look at survival estimates for this coin in Mint State examples, the elevated pricing really makes sense.

Consider the fact that PCGS estimates only 1,500 specimens are worthy of a Mint State grade - any Mint State grade. And then, taking it one step further, specimens grading MS65 or better number as few as 250 total. When it comes to grading populations among the MS range, the largest quantities are found in the cluster of MS63 and MS64 grades, where prices hover around $175 to $250. MS62 and MS65 pieces are among the next-most common, with the former fetching about $150 and the latter going for some $475.

When we look at those grading MS66 and higher, the collector quickly realizes the challenge that can come with this issue. Only around 40 examples have been graded MS66, and you'll need to pay over $1,300 for the privilege of owning one at that level. The finest grade known for the date, MS67, currently offers just three examples, each worth nearly $20,000.

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