Why should I bother with pre-1960 nickels?

goldencoin

Gold Member
Sep 27, 2005
5,669
446
Indiana
Detector(s) used
Whites DFX & Beach Hunter ID
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I only save the low-mintage ones

HH
-GC
 

homefires

Hero Member
May 20, 2008
526
15
deming n.m.
Detector(s) used
Any thing Available within 50ft
War Nickels are cool.

40% silver.

Any with the mint mark over the Monticello.
 

Coins4Cheese

Hero Member
Jun 30, 2009
657
2
Japan
Detector(s) used
Bounty Hunter Tracker IV, Garret Ace 250
homefires said:
War Nickels are cool.

40% silver.

Any with the mint mark over the Monticello.

Actually, they're made out of 35% silver, not 40% silver.

I save pre-1960 nickels just because they're not as common. Plus, if I didn't find any wars or buffalo's, the pre-1960 Jefferson's will make me feel that I actually accomplished something.
 

coinmojo

Bronze Member
Mar 18, 2008
2,484
6
Michigan
I think the only reason to save pre 60's is if you were trying to put a roll set togeather.
(1 roll of ea. yr.)
But for the most part just the key dates and War Nickles and pre 39 nicks. are what I am after. I usually set all pre 60 aside and sort through them at a later date and clear the junk out once in a while. like when I have time or am short on CRH capitol.

Mojo
 

Argentium

Gold Member
Feb 2, 2008
9,058
5,574
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Detector(s) used
Whites, MXT.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Good question ! I wouldn't bother with anything after war nickels . Think about it - the really
valuable commodity here is your time , and unlike silveryanking - you have to face every coin
to date it . It's like the folks on this site who bother with non - silver "NIFC" halves -you
gotta be kidding me if you think any circulated cupronickel Kennedy half is gonna be worth
even a buck for the next 25 years . Consider this you are fortunate if you can sell 40 % halves
for 2 bucks at a coin store when they melt at 2.75 , and silver is sexy - cupronickel , not so
much -- Argentium.
 

silvereagle78

Sr. Member
Mar 14, 2009
453
5
The Burgh PA
Detector(s) used
Minelab Explorer SE, Whites SilverEagle
Coins4Cheese said:
Plus, if I didn't find any wars or buffalo's, the pre-1960 Jefferson's will make me feel that I actually accomplished something.

I agree, makes me feel like I found something! :laughing7:
 

Jimmy@romega

Full Member
Dec 4, 2008
241
3
rome, ga
Yeah just don't make sense to keep all pre-60 nickels. What to watch out for is the key dates 1939d, 1950d and all semi-key dates, war-nickels, errors and full steps high grade nickels. Alot of them post 1955 really not going to be worth anything even in top grade. Another thing I do watch out for is the 1982p nickel in FS grade I found one the other day that is near perfect FS.
 

Codes

Bronze Member
Feb 28, 2007
1,030
98
United States
Detector(s) used
White's M6
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Because its fun to look for them! Also, if you save them and decide later you don't want them, you can cash them in at face value and you have lost nothing.

-Codes
 

Coins4Cheese

Hero Member
Jun 30, 2009
657
2
Japan
Detector(s) used
Bounty Hunter Tracker IV, Garret Ace 250
Codes said:
Because its fun to look for them! Also, if you save them and decide later you don't want them, you can cash them in at face value and you have lost nothing.

-Codes

That's the joy about CRHing. Zero risk. Yeah, I agree, I like to just sit back and look at all the ones that I've found.
 

jeff of pa

Super Moderator
Staff member
Dec 19, 2003
85,936
59,740
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I Don't Bother with them From Change
But every Pre 60 I Dig While Detecting I Keep
Simple because of Age.

Not Value (5 cents)

Only the Wars, errors, and
a very few others have Value
 

AGCoinHunter

Bronze Member
Aug 13, 2009
2,074
21
Detector(s) used
ACE 250 (MD) Bare hands (CRH)
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I keep them all under 60. Whats it costing me? 5 cents? Got a big bag of them right now and if I need to money I will go throught them and get rid or the ones in the worst shape.
 

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Top