Newbie has a question about nickels!

fenderbender88 · Aug 17, 2010

Hey everyone! Just signed up to treasurenet and just started CRH'ing. I started out with nickels because as of right now I don't have $500 to throw on a box of halves and every bank I've been to so far doesn't have any...

Anyway my question is about mint marks. I'm currently trying to fill a book I've had since I was a kid and there are spaces for the S mint marks. Now it's been a WHILE since I collected coins but is the S for the mint or a proof set? Likewise, do I have ANY chance of finding them while CRH'ing?

Probably a really simple question but I just haven't found an answer yet.

Thanks!

ronbo22 · Aug 17, 2010

There are Jeffersons that have S mintmarks that are not proofs 1938-1954 and 1968-1970

fenderbender88 · Aug 17, 2010

So every one after 1970 is a proof?

ronbo22 · Aug 17, 2010

fenderbender88 said:
So every one after 1970 is a proof?

Yes, and you can find them in boxes,bags,rolls etc.

fenderbender88 · Aug 17, 2010

Thanks for all your help!

weighit · Aug 17, 2010

What years are worth saving, I just got a bag of $200.00 worth and am finding many 1960's, are they worth more than the nickle? I thought there was more silver content in those.

enamel7 · Aug 17, 2010

weighit said:
What years are worth saving, I just got a bag of $200.00 worth and am finding many 1960's, are they worth more than the nickle? I thought there was more silver content in those.

Silver content only in war nickels.

weighit · Aug 17, 2010

So am I wasting my time going through these if I'm only finding 1960's coins? Are you saying 1942 to 1945ish is what I need to find?

2Cents · Aug 17, 2010

Nickels from 1942 to 1945 with a large mint mark on the reverse over the dome are 35% silver.

weighit · Aug 17, 2010

If it has the mint mark what is it worth? I found a 1943 S & a 1941 no mint. So far with 1/2 the bag empty.

fenderbender88 · Aug 17, 2010

It's dependent on the condition really. I've got a few on the rolls I went through yesterday and today but the reverse is pretty smooth. Will update with progess from my 40 rolls later...

fenderbender88 · Aug 17, 2010

So I grabbed $40 worth of nickels yesterday and $40 today... On top of being 52% complete with my new book, I scored:

1939 - x3
1940 - x4
1941
1942 - x2
1944 P
1946 - x2
1948 D
1949
1952 - x2
1953 - x2
1957 D
1958 D - x2
1959 D - x2

I know only the wartime have the silver but I felt it wasn't a bad haul for my first time CRH'ing. :dontknow:

The pre-1960s and post-1970 proofs are killing be though...

weighit · Aug 17, 2010

Just so I understand, say from 1946 and up are only worth the 5 cents? and have no extra value because there is no silver in them. I so far have a bunch of 1960's and some 1950's and a hand full of 1940's in the bag so far. Feel like I wasting my time.

fenderbender88 said:
So I grabbed $40 worth of nickels yesterday and $40 today... On top of being 52% complete with my new book, I scored:

1939 - x3
1940 - x4
1941
1942 - x2
1944 P
1946 - x2
1948 D
1949
1952 - x2
1953 - x2
1957 D
1958 D - x2
1959 D - x2

I know only the wartime have the silver but I felt it wasn't a bad haul for my first time CRH'ing. The pre-1960s and post-1970 proofs are killing be though...

coinmojo · Aug 17, 2010

For the last year I have added Nickles to my search. I get $200 bags from a couple banks around town occassionally. I have found a hanfull of Buffallo's and a couple of V's this year But it seems like I pull at least 1 war nickle everytime.

I think 1938 & 9 D's are the ones to look out for as well as the 1950D in the Jefferson series. In 1942 they switched production over mid year and only the coins with the mint mark above the dome contain silver.

Get a copy of the "Red Book" at your local book store or coin shop and do some research. there are a couple years where the mint marks were stamped over each other and have some value.

I have not found a 38.39 or 50 D yet. And allthough I almost have full rolls of every date and mint mark in the Jefferson series between 1938 and 1959 I can't be sure that any of them are of the S over D or visa versa type. You would need a micriscope to be sure. S mint marks are hard to come by around here in Michigan therefor I do not have a full roll of any of those.

In addition most of the Nickles I have accumulated in the above paragraph would not grade very well as most are pertty well worn and my intention is to complete a book with all the coins grading above 50 so I got a long way to go.

It's not a waste of time if you enjoy what you are doing. There really is no profit in nickles, so if your looking for profit find a different denomination.

Hope I have been of some help to you. Good luck on your search and welcome to the forum.

Mojo