Full Step Jefferson Nickels
As I mention in my last article about wanting to buy a 1938 nickel, I mentioned that specifically I wanted to buy a 5 Full Step nickel. As you know, the Jefferson nickel reverse shows a picture of Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello estate. It turns out that much of the Jefferson nickel value is based upon the detail of the steps of Monticello.
The design of the reverse of the Jefferson nickel depicts Monticello with 6 full steps leading up to the front door of Jefferson’s Monticello. Finding a us nickel with these 6 Full Steps is very rare. In fact finding a 5 Full Step nickel is also rare. But why? Aren’t all coins stamped the same?
It turns out that the answer to that question is no. Finding nickels with sharply defined steps is tough because the Mint often used old dies to make these us coins. Additionally, for some years the dies used to make the Jefferson nickels only had 5 steps and not 6.
I don’t know about you, but I find this fascinating. It is fun to become knowledgeable for what to look for when evaluating the value of coins. I can just imagine my sense of victory when I find my first 5 or 6 Full Step Jefferson nickels.
Tags: jefferson nickels, Nickel Collection, US Coins, us nickels
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Comments (1)
March 2nd, 2011 at 7:44 am
While this is true, let’s not forget the entire design of the nickel, how well it needs to be struck. Fact is, collectors will find more nickels with weak strikes with full steps than fully struck Jefferson nickels. And interestingly enough, this phenom will take most a collector’s life to understand.
Regards, Leo