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.

1938 Nickel

The 1938 nickel was minted at the Philadelphia Mint, Denver Mint and the San Franscisco Mint.  The Philadelphia Mint struck 19,496,000 1938 nickels.  The Denver Mint struck 5,376,00 1938-D nickels.  The San Francisco Mint struck 4,105,00 1938-S nickels.  Only the Philadelphia mint produced proof nickels in 1938.  Only 19,365 proof nickels were minted that year.

In looking at the 1938 nickel value, it seems tha Mint State nickels are not hard to find from any of these mintmarks.  The real issue with the 1938 nickel is finding a sharply struck 1938 nickel.  As with most Jefferson nickels, the real nickel value comes from finding a 1938 nickel with 5 Full Steps.  According to A Guide Book of Buffalo and Jefferson Nickels, one out of twenty coins in the Mint State 65 qualtiy or higher will have 5 Full Steps.  So that is my mission.  I want a 5 Full Step 1938 nickel.

Do you have any advice that you can give me to help me find my 5 Full Step 1938 nickel?  I would love to hear your advice for buy this Jefferson nickel and any other us coins.

1913 Buffalo Nickel Obverse

I thought that this would be a fun way to kick off this blog, but it took me a while to decide which type of coin to start collecting first.  But, after reading a ton of information about the different coin types, I decided that my first type set would be a nickel type set collection.

Why did I decide on collecting a U.S. nickel type set collection?

I have been reading a ton of books about coin collecting.  In doing my research, I have been drawn to James Earle Fraser’s buffalo nickel coin.   I don’t think that I am alone in my love of the Fraser buffalo nickel design.  It is a favorite among coin collectors.

Another factor in my choice of collecting a U.S. nickel type set is price.  I would love to be able to afford a U.S. gold coin or U.S. silver dollar type set collection, but unfortunately my budget won’t allow it.  On the other hand, a nickel type set collection is much more affordable.

So, I hope that you will enjoy my journey of collecting a nickel type set.  For those nusimatists out there that would like to provide me with some advice as I begin my collection, please leave your advice in the comments below.  Additionally, you can contact me on my contact form above.