Nickel Blitz

[DrDetector]

Well for some of you I'm sure it's a daily routine...but this is the most nickels I've done in a group in a while. Picked up (6) boxes of nickels in an attempt at finding the long-lost 1939D nickel, which is the only one I need to find to complete the Jefferson set (aside from proofs and 2009s). I think the boxes were pretty good, yielding above-average results for me, as well as 5 silver nickels, 4 Buffalos (all with dates) and a proof.

Results:
Box 1: 39 pre-60s including two 45P's
Box 2: 38 pre-60s including a 1936 Buffalo
Box 3: 34 pre-60s including a 1920 Buffalo, a 43P and a 1980S
Box 4: 37 pre-60s
Box 5: 29 pre-60s including 1916 and 1936 Buffalos (first box I've ever had w/ more than 1 Buff)
Box 6: 28 pre-60s inlcuding (2) 43Ps and a 1951S (only the 2nd I've found out of nearly half a million nickels searched)

Took some pics of the Buffs and the proof:

It appears the 39D has still eluded me, so the search rolls on...

 

[GMan00001]

The 1951-S must be much tougher out east...

I have 7 of them out of 199,800 nickels this year and 10 out of about 301,500 last year.

 

[silvercop]

 

[DrDetector]

The S mint coins are really difficult to find for me in general. It's interesting seeing your breakdowns because the mintmarked Buffalos turn up so much more often for you compared to me. I know Kestrelia, who is even further east than me has mentioned that he has a lot of trouble finding the older D and S mint coins.

 

[Silversound]

Forgive my ignorance, but what is the significance of the pre-60 nickles?

Thanks,
George

 

[quick-silver]

Nice score! I agree those S mints are not easy to find here, still have yet to find the 51-S myself.

 

[Darth Walker]

Yes, please explain the importance of the pre 1960 Nickels?

DW

 

[kestrelia]

As a point of reference ... I've found seven 1951S nickels after searching 550,630 nickels.

Still looking for the 38D & 43D, however, and so I can totally understand your quest for the 39D!

Keep at it!

Brian

 

[DrDetector]

Strangely enough in the 6th box I found a 1938 (P) which was actually the first one I had found this year. 1 out of 50,240 in 2009. Seemed to me they were a little more common than that. The 38D I have found 6 of though (out of 442,000) so not too long before you nab one!

There is no 'importance' to pre-60 nickels. For some this hobby isn't all about snaring the silver. Believe it or not I actually enjoy keeping the records on which coins I find floating around still in circulation. I know...huge nerd here. By keeping track of the coins found prior to a certain date (1960 for nickels) it makes it relatively easy to determine the odds of finding a nickel minted prior to 1960 in circulation in 2009. As the years go on, in theory, it should be harder and harder to find one overall but I wanted to have the data to prove that.

Not only that but a lot of the dates prior to 1960 had somewhat low mintages, a lot of the D and S coins especially.

It's really just a basic cutoff for determining how many old nickels you found in your lot.

 

[goldencoin]

I have a pile of 1951 S- what I really nead is the "rarest" 1950 D and 1938 D....I've got two 1939 D's

HH
-GC

 

[FingerGrime]

I'm kind of getting tired of the whole "why do you keep pre-60 nickels" question...
Anyways...
Yeah, i'm still looking for a 51S here. I have been through 144K nickels and not a single one .

Good job on the buffalo nickels! I can't believe all were legible!! And some early ones too!

 

[DAS7NY]

Yes, please explain the importance of the pre 1960 Nickels?

DW

Please? I don't get it either...

 

[GMan00001]

Yes, please explain the importance of the pre 1960 Nickels?

DW

Please? I don't get it either...

Why do people save wheat pennies? Its basically the same answer.

Because they are old.

1960 is roughly when the mint cranked up the volume it was kicking out on nickels. Older ones generally have a lower mintage numbers. There are a few varieties after 1959 that have similar lower mintage numbers...1960, 1961, 1962, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968-D, 1968-S, 1969-S, and 1971.

The only difference with wheat pennies is that they have a different design so they are easily recognizable. Technically they changed the design on the nickel now too, but only a few years ago so saving every nickel with the old design is not currently cost effective (and there is no market for the newer ones...yet).

Ever notice how most of the wheats you find are 1940's and 1950's. I am guessing that is for two reasons.
A) 1940 is approximately when wheat penny mintage figures took a huge step up.
B) Wheat penny book one is 1909-1940.

The equivalent for nickels is..
A) 1960 is approximately when nickel mintage figures took a huge step up.
B) Jefferson nickel book one is 1938-1961 (or 1962...something like that).


Here is another example. The general rules around what people collect.

Pennies...wheat pennies or older (pre-1959)
dimes...silver (pre-1965)
quarters...silver (pre-1965)
halves....silver (pre-1971)

So the general guideline on all common US coins is roughly around 1960's....really much like any other collectible, it's up to the collector and what they want to collect. My uncle used to collect science fiction books, not because they were valuable, but because he could until one day he realized he had bought more books then he could ever possibly read in his lifetime so he stopped. Personally, I think there will someday be a premium (more than there is now) on pre-1960 nickels. Kind of like how pre-1934 wheat pennies are more expensive than newer ones today.

 

[Shake-N-Bake]

Yes, please explain the importance of the pre 1960 Nickels?

DW

Please? I don't get it either...

Why do people save wheat pennies? Its basically the same answer.

Because they are old.

1960 is roughly when the mint cranked up the volume it was kicking out on nickels. Older ones generally have a lower mintage numbers. There are a few varieties after 1959 that have similar lower mintage numbers...1960, 1961, 1962, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968-D, 1968-S, 1969-S, and 1971.

The only difference with wheat pennies is that they have a different design so they are easily recognizable. Technically they changed the design on the nickel now too, but only a few years ago so saving every nickel with the old design is not currently cost effective (and there is no market for the newer ones...yet).

Ever notice how most of the wheats you find are 1940's and 1950's. I am guessing that is for two reasons.
A) 1940 is approximately when wheat penny mintage figures took a huge step up.
B) Wheat penny book one is 1909-1940.

The equivalent for nickels is..
A) 1960 is approximately when nickel mintage figures took a huge step up.
B) Jefferson nickel book one is 1938-1961 (or 1962...something like that).


Here is another example. The general rules around what people collect.

Pennies...wheat pennies or older (pre-1959)
dimes...silver (pre-1965)
quarters...silver (pre-1965)
halves....silver (pre-1971)

So the general guideline on all common US coins is roughly around 1960's....really much like any other collectible, it's up to the collector and what they want to collect. My uncle used to collect science fiction books, not because they were valuable, but because he could until one day he realized he had bought more books then he could ever possibly read in his lifetime so he stopped. Personally, I think there will someday be a premium (more than there is now) on pre-1960 nickels. Kind of like how pre-1934 wheat pennies are more expensive than newer ones today.

Well Said Gman

Eventually, sooner than most would think, you will only find a few pre-60's per box. Soon they will have the same percetage of finding a pre 60 nickel as for a wheat penny. I have already noticed in my area that pre 60 nickel finds per box are getting lower...

Happy Hunting,
Jason

 

[halfdime]

While the Dr may appear, on this forum, to be (in his own words) a "huge nerd" for his interest in tracking nickel statistics, I can personally vouch for his being a rugged outdoorsman when it's called for. I have a 39D sitting in my collection that I'm tempted to release at a certain bank in the hopes that Captain Ahab, er, I mean DrDetector will find it.

 

[GMan00001]

Well Said Gman

Eventually, sooner than most would think, you will only find a few pre-60's per box. Soon they will have the same percetage of finding a pre 60 nickel as for a wheat penny. I have already noticed in my area that pre 60 nickel finds per box are getting lower...

Happy Hunting,
Jason

Going back to when I started keeping detailed stats (2006), my averages have stayed pretty much the same... Finding out if there was a drop in finds is actually one of the reasons I started keeping stats in the first place.

I only have partial year stats for 2006

Year | Nickels Searched | Pre-1960 Found | Find Rate Per $100
200694,480127827.053
2007352,021446225.351
2008301,529415127.533
2009199,800345234.555
​

 

[bocephus]

Wow what great finds simply amazing

 

[DrDetector]

While the Dr may appear, on this forum, to be (in his own words) a "huge nerd" for his interest in tracking nickel statistics, I can personally vouch for his being a rugged outdoorsman when it's called for. I have a 39D sitting in my collection that I'm tempted to release at a certain bank in the hopes that Captain Ahab, er, I mean DrDetector will find it.

This guy cracks me up...man why am I sorting nickels in August...I need to be out detecting! Don't worry about your 39D sir, I already have a full Jefferson set, I just want to find a full set as well!

 

[halfdime]

While the Dr may appear, on this forum, to be (in his own words) a "huge nerd" for his interest in tracking nickel statistics, I can personally vouch for his being a rugged outdoorsman when it's called for. I have a 39D sitting in my collection that I'm tempted to release at a certain bank in the hopes that Captain Ahab, er, I mean DrDetector will find it.

This guy cracks me up...man why am I sorting nickels in August...I need to be out detecting! Don't worry about your 39D sir, I already have a full Jefferson set, I just want to find a full set as well!

Maybe I'll plant it at the Dunn site and see if you can find it, then . I suspect that you're sorting nickels in the comfort of an air conditioned abode, as opposed to the sting of sweat in your eyes. Now that we've had some rain, the detecting isn't so bad!

 

[DrDetector]

While the Dr may appear, on this forum, to be (in his own words) a "huge nerd" for his interest in tracking nickel statistics, I can personally vouch for his being a rugged outdoorsman when it's called for. I have a 39D sitting in my collection that I'm tempted to release at a certain bank in the hopes that Captain Ahab, er, I mean DrDetector will find it.

This guy cracks me up...man why am I sorting nickels in August...I need to be out detecting! Don't worry about your 39D sir, I already have a full Jefferson set, I just want to find a full set as well!

Maybe I'll plant it at the Dunn site and see if you can find it, then . I suspect that you're sorting nickels in the comfort of an air conditioned abode, as opposed to the sting of sweat in your eyes. Now that we've had some rain, the detecting isn't so bad!

No way man, I'm old school. Whirring fan blade maybe but no a/c. Love the humid August weather.