United States 1967 5 cents
This specimen was lot 4622 in Stack's Bowers August 2020 auction, which sold for $180. The lot description noted, "1967 Jefferson Nickel. SMS. MS-68 Cameo (NGC)." The Jefferson nickel replaced the buffalo nickel in 1938 and this design was used until 2003. Wartime five cent pieces (1942-45) were made of copper-silver-manganese but the prewar composition was resumed in 1946. The designer's initials were added to the obverse in 1966 and in 1968 the mintmark was moved from the reverse to the obverse. Some rare varieties and errors exist but no dates are rare. Only the 1939-D, 1939-S and 1942-D can be counted as even slightly scarce. Many dates are rare in fully-struck condition and collectors compete for these. In 1964-65, rising silver prices pushed the bullion content of dimes, quarter and halves over their face value, causing them to rapidly disappear from circulation. Blaming coin collectors, Treasury officials halted production of proof sets and removed the mintmark from circulation coinage. For 1965-67, Special Mint Sets were sold instead of proof sets. The contents thereof, struck at San Francisco, were made better than the usual bulk issue but still not the equal of the traditional proof. For example, the nickel shown here is about as nice as they come (and priced accordingly) but is still not fully struck.
Recorded Mintage: 107,325,800 plus 1,863,344 for the Special Mint Sets.
Specification: 5 g, copper-nickel, 21.2 mm diameter. Designed by Felix Schlag.
Catalog reference: KM A192.
- Yeoman, R. S., and Kenneth Bressett (ed.), A Guide Book of United States Coins, 65th Ed., Atlanta, GA: Whitman Publishing, 2011.
- Alexander, David T., Coin World Comprehensive Catalog & Encyclopedia of United States Coins, Sidney, OH: Amos Press, 1995.
- Breen, Walter H., Walter Breen's Complete Encyclopedia of U. S. and Colonial Coins, New York: Doubleday, 1987.
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