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 Replies: 9 / Views: 3,360 |
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Valued Member
United States
123 Posts |
I picked up this nickel and it was marked proof. I know the proofs at that time weren't great but is there a marker or something that can tell me whether or not is is a proof folks?   |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
12437 Posts |
Definitely not a proof and I hope you did not pay proof money for it. Proofs from that era were brilliant so do not expect a cameo coin. The rims are soft and rounded, a proof will have sharp squared rims. The fields are dull but a proof will have mirror polished fields. Details of the coin are decent but still very weak when compared to a proof that is struck twice, the steps are indistinct.
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Valued Member
 United States
123 Posts |
Well luckily I didn't pay proof money but with the holder saying proof I thought maybe I got lucky. The color is much lighter than other nickels of the same year and the Cherry Pickers Guide says that the proofs in 39 didn't have clear steps so I thought maybe. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1027 Posts |
The reverses are differnet for proofs. All but 100 of the 1939 proof nickels used the reverse of 1938, which had wavy steps, the others used the reverse of 1940 with straight steps. It doesn't look like the steps remain on your coin so I am not sure how could call it as a proof once it has circulated so much.
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Valued Member
United States
123 Posts |
Well the steps are there, just not full.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1027 Posts |
OK, the best way I can describe it is: The 1939 business strike and the rare proof coin share three main characteristics, the ends of the steps are wide, they have a distinct vertical line between the steps and the edge and the steps are nice and straight. On the common proof, the step ends are narrow, no vertical line exists, the less than perfectly straight steps end at the sides. business  common proof  rare proof  |
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Valued Member
United States
123 Posts |
Thanks for the pics.It looks to me as if there is no distinct edge to the steps on my coin but it also looks as if it has seen some beating around.   |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4989 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1027 Posts |
I have to say, that looks like it is a proof coin, one of the common ones, but a proof. Not only does not appear to have the vertical bars but also appears to have the narrow step sides.
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Valued Member
United States
123 Posts |
Well I guess the person who marked it proof must have known their nickels.Thanks Clair.I just didn't want it to be put aside as a common nickel.
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Replies: 9 / Views: 3,360 |
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Posted 11/22/2010 2:51 pm
