1883 Rackateer Nickel - One Of The Most Accurate I Have Seen.

Very nice.

Interesting wear patter on the reverse where the plating is worn in a circular patter around the V.

Nice pick up Dave.

intresting specimen!

Thanks Mike, everyone.
That is what I surmise as well jimbucks.

Agreed, BUT, these "novelty" 1883 NC nickels were also being gold-plated by some jewelers well prior to 1900 and marketed as watch fobs (jewelry ornaments). One jeweler I read about in an early newspaper article was charged and arrested, but the state had no case; this, since there was no attempt to defraud anyone. As I recall, the jeweler had displayed a bunch of the nickels in his shop window, offering them for 35 cents, apiece.

Some months ago, I watched a holed racketeer nickel sell on eBay. It realized $125!

@Vermontensium .... Might the "central reverse wear" be explained by solder and/or solder removal? Even though your piece has a reeded edge, consider that it may still have been used as a jewelry item of sorts.