Jefferson Nickel Set from the Wild Complete!

baddbluff

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Apr 22, 2011
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Don't post much lately, but thought this was cool.
Pulled a key date 1938S from the wild today to complete my Jefferson nickel set! I've been down to one coin for over a year now. It's a really nice AU coin. Kinda weird: all three keys are super nice (1938S AU, 1939D AU and 1950D XF+).
Happy hunting all!
ImageUploadedByTreasureNet.com1519370009.444018.jpg ImageUploadedByTreasureNet.com1519370049.053942.jpg ImageUploadedByTreasureNet.com1519370074.773011.jpg
 

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Twitch

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Feb 1, 2010
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Very nice work. We all dummy into a nice box or a solid roll from time to time. A complete Jefferson set is clearly a great deal of effort. Great to see it. I personally found the ‘38-D a month or two ago and lack only the ‘43-D and ‘50-D. It’s funny ‘38-S was your last coin. I also find that many of the rarer Jeff dates are in great condition when found in the wild.

What at would be fun and a HUGE waste of money would be to grade sets found in the wild and create a registry ranking for CRH’d sets.

Well done sir.
 

srcdco

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It took me about 40 years to finally find my 1950-D and it was uncirculated. That was last summer. Since then, I've found 2 more! One was circulated (VF to XF) and the other was another uncirculated. So, in the last 6 to 9 months, I've completed 3 Jefferson nickel sets. I've found multiples of the others (1938-D, 1938-S, 1939-D, 1939-S, 1943-D) already.

Scott
 

Scott (Mich)

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Congrats on completing your sets everyone. I do nickel hunting small scale at only 5 rolls every time I cash my paycheck.

Last week I got my second war nickel so things are looking better for this year.

I have four nickels to go, the 38-S, 50-D, and I think two more war nickels. I'm on lunch hour at work currently so I cannot remember right off hand which ones I need.
 

TxAg

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Nice going baddbluff & srcdco!!!!
 

mountainman 2

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Congrats on the milestone Baddbluff, that's quite an accomplishment. Are you going to start a 2nd set? The key dates were probably pulled from circulation soon after they were minted and someone just recently cashed them in. IMO.
 

engine823

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I've been working on the full set myself! Not nearly as close to done though! Did you find all the proofs in circulation as well? I've only found 3 so far
 

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baddbluff

baddbluff

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No proofs, just circ strikes
I am working on a second set - missing 38d & s, 39d, 44d, & 50d - the usual suspects, mostly.
I think I got really lucky to finish the first set. The 50d came out of the register at work, and the 39d and 38s both came from customer rolls from banks I don't usually go to. I grabbed a bunch of rolls both times on a whim & got lucky.
Finding the tough Jeffs is a lot like finding a 55p Franklin to finish that set - gotta get lucky.
 

wagbert

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Mar 29, 2008
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Would you care to estimate how long it took you to complete your set of Jefferson nickels? How about a rough estimate of the number of nickels you had to look through to complete your task? Congratulations for finishing the first set. You have had some very good luck indeed. I wish you continued good luck on finding the coins you want and need for another complete set of nickels. Until recently I believe the Jefferson nickel series was overlooked by most coin collectors. Well done !
 

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baddbluff

baddbluff

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Would you care to estimate how long it took you to complete your set of Jefferson nickels? How about a rough estimate of the number of nickels you had to look through to complete your task? Congratulations for finishing the first set. You have had some very good luck indeed. I wish you continued good luck on finding the coins you want and need for another complete set of nickels. Until recently I believe the Jefferson nickel series was overlooked by most coin collectors. Well done !

I don't keep nickel stats like I do with halves - I started this set maybe 10 years ago, but that was mainly looking through change at work, and an occasional box here and there. I didn't take it seriously at all until I found the 50-d and 39-d - at which time I realized I had a decent shot at completing it. I probably searched between $50-$75,000 worth of nickels.
 

ILikeMoney

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Been searching 10yrs @1 box/week, I still need the 38d, 39d, 43d and 50d.
 

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baddbluff

baddbluff

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Been searching 10yrs @1 box/week, I still need the 38d, 39d, 43d and 50d.

I think where you live makes a difference. Us west coast hunters have a lot better chance of finding all of those coins due to where they were originally released in circulation.
They've always been tough to find. I first started searching Nickels when I was a teenager in the 80s. I never found a 38s, 39d, or 50d back then either.
 

trdking

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I quit assembling sets long long Ago Now I type set and keep the very best of every variety I can get my hands on. Still a great accomplishment completing a set! Way to go.
 

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baddbluff

baddbluff

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'38-'59 nickel sets wholesale for $16 in case you were curious.

(Including wars)

Thanks. I was definitely curious. I guess I should keep my day job.

Everyone in this forum knows these coins aren't worth anything. 99% of us don't search to make money. If I had worked overtime instead of coin roll hunting, I'm sure I could've bought a complete set in 65FS, including all the key dates and varieties.
Most of us do it for fun - for a challenge. And when you achieve a goal you set, it's satisfying. Like finishing a marathon or getting your first birdie in golf (both of which are worth about $16 less btw).

My suggestion for you is that you change your outlook on life - it sounds like you have attitude issues. I'd start by changing you login to something like "unicorns and rainbows" rather then "death & taxes." It might help you see the positive things in life.
 

GlenDronach

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My nice key dates (50D and 38D) were both in really good shape too- I have a feeling they've been picked out long ago and because people knew the mintage numbers were low people hoarded the unc rolls and they're slowly making their way back in.
 

Death&Taxes

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Meh. I just see things for what they are. Value is what somebody else will pay for something.
 

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