Nickel Experts; I'm Curious.....

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The problem is the coins purchasing power is only about 1/13th what is was back then. In the 50's and 60's coins had enough purchasing power that they were "real money" and so they were used and stayed in circulation. Today their purchasing power is so low that they are not worth carrying and using so most of them are just received in change and then are tossed in jars, trays etc. for a long, sometimes VERY long time. That takes them out of circulation, but the businesses still need them for making change so the Mint has to make more and more of them. Cents are practically a one way coin now mint to Fed to bank to business to consumer to jar. Sometime instead of the jar they are just thrown away. The nickel isn't far behind. It takes about 65 cent to purchase what a nickel did in the early 60's.

I wish, I would settle for an MS63 "junk" nickel any day lol.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1939-DOUBL...!13502!US!-1

True but they were one, produced during a coin shortage when production was being pushed to capacity. And two, were produced for almost two years. Take several other years production since then (one years date production) and double it to see what you would have if it was made for two years. For example 1999 D they made 1.06 billion. If they froze that date for two year you would have had 2.5 billion (they made 1.5 billion 2000 D's) Admittedly for just about anyother two years you pick the 1964 D would still come out on top, but there would be several cases where it would be close or it would beat the 1964 D.