1968-1970 Jefferson

Not necessarily related to the 1968-1970 S mint nickels but I head read here and other places that from 1965 - 1967 the government blamed coin collectors for hoarding coins so even thought all denominations were struck at all 3 mints none of the coins bore a mint mark (of course it had to be coin collectors and it had nothing to do with the Fed trying to suck all of the silver out of circulation as fast as they could once the clads came out in 1965)

By 1955 it was decided that the Denver and Philadelphia mints could suply all the coinage needed for the country so the San Francisco mint was "mothballed" and only produced cents and dimes in 1955 and then no further coinage until the major coin shortages in the mid 60's. In 1965 coinage was resumed in San Francisco with the mint striking cents, nickels, dimes, quarters, and halves all with no mintmark.

In 1968 San Francisco took over all the proof coinage and they also struck cents an nickels for circulation with the S mintmark. From 1968 to date the San Francisco mint has struck for circulation: Cents from 1968 to 1974 with S mintmarks and 1978 to 1983 with no mintmarks. Nickels 1968 to 1970 with S mintmarks. Dimes in 1975 with no mintmarks.

Interestingly no nickels were struck in Philadelphia in 1968 to 1970, but sometimes you will find 1968 to 1970 nickels with no mintmark. These are the result of worn dies or filled mintmarks just as happened with cents in 1922. 1922 "plain" cents attract a lot of interest but most people have never heard of 1968 to 70 "plain" nickels.

FYI .... my information shows that Philadelphia didn't strike any nickels for nickels dated 66 and 67.. but how can yah tell anyways but just for number counting ..... a 5 year stretch no nickels from Philadelphia....probably too many 64 in the vault