Learning About The 1943/2 Nickel

A couple of teaching points...

1. The 1943/2 nickel is technically a doubled die, not an overdate. Overdates are created when a number digit is punched into the die over a different number digit. This ended with 19th century coins when the date was placed on the hub in its entirety and was hubbed into the die with the remainder of the design. The 1943 nickel was created with a 1942 hub and a 1943 hub. Basically the entire design of each was pressed into the die, the only difference being the last digit of the date, thus the only part that shows the doubling.

2. The easiest way to tell the genuine 1943/2 nickel against die scratches and cracks inside the 3 digit is that the genuine article has a perfectly straight inside-bottom to the 3...basically the bottom of the 2 showing through. All the coins with die gouges, scratches, or other things that may appear to be the partial 2 crosslet would have a curved inside edge to the bottom of the 3.

Heres a few pics of the one I found a few years ago.

I looked at every 1943-P nickel I could find in the store. Nothing...

Thanks for the info. Anyone have an example of one that isn't real?

I don't have pics yet. Sometimes it isn't easy getting my girlfriend to take "more pictures of coins." I need to get a good camera.

that looks legit to me!

nice!

Great find. Always nice to have one prove out.