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

There is a good book called "The Jefferson nickel Analyst" well worth purchasing. I have a copy signed by the author.

I had a theory that the strike and quality reflected the mood of the nation, but I can't prove it lol.

I am not sure, but the most logical answer is that the mints were striking more coins per die and allowing the dies to wear more than before. If that's the case, then it was most likely a result of trying to save money. Also, I think the dies were reworked during this time at least once. I think the strike quality issues culminated in the early 80s.

I haven't noticed that Buffalo nickels are darker, but I do think that should be discussed separately from strike quality of 60s and 70s Jeffersons.

Simple answer higher mintages and much faster presses today. Back in the 1960's each mint may be minting 200 - 300 million coins a year and the presses ran between 60 to 100 coins a minute. As time passed the mint used the dies longer, mintages rose to around 800 million or more from each mint, and since 2002 the press speeds have risen to 750 coins a minute. Now it takes a certain amount of time for the metal to flow into the recesses of the die. As the coining speed rises there isn't enough time for the metal fill. So to counter this they have to keep lowering the relief more and mare.. As the relief lowers the coin looks worse and worse. One of the last thing to fill is the rims and that is why many of the rims and edges of recent nickels are not well formed.

great question, and one I had wondered in the past. the experts here never disappoint with their knowledge

Let's slow the presses down and go back to quality strikes.

KK

I wish, but they cannot mint BILLIONS of them slow.

Now, if you they could get rid of cents and nickels that might free up some time.

I've always liked MS grade 1940's and 1950's Jefferson nickels the most. Appears the Mint took their time to craft some really nice coins in that era.

As it was explained to me as to why my grandfather had 30k+ nickels stuffed away, there was a crazy Nickel hoarding era that crashed in 1964. In order for the Mint to keep up with demand they cranked up production on the presses for 1960, 61, 62, 63, and 64. The hoarding craze crashed when people realized what they have been hoarding was mostly junk. Whether that hoarding story is true or not, at least that is what was said to me from those who lived it. What I can confirm is that a few years ago I broke open grandfather's nickel hoard and yes, the early 1960s through 1964 was junk as in nothing better than MS64 -- I had a few graded. In total I only saved approx 200 of those Nickels.