Owner Comments:
Mintage: 120 Million
Full Step Availability: 20%
NGC Population MS67 QDR: 2/0
Date/mm Information: There are two significant die varieties for this date/mm: The Doubled Monticello DDR and the QDR presented here.
Coin Description:
Gorgeous, lustrous, and minimally abraded grey surfaces greet the viewer of this early date premium gem. This variety is not nearly is pronounced as the 1939 DDR but still shows strong quadrupling of most of the reverse lettering with a close spread. While the pick up points are listed as MONTICELLO & CENTS, I find that the easiest way to recognize this variety is pointed out in THE CHERRYPICKER'S GUIDE. The "O" in MONTICELLO is distinctly egg shaped and the "C" in AMERICA is much wider as a result of the quadrupled die. A very cool variety that will appeal to variety collectors but certainly not a must have for a Jefferson series collector.
This variety is scarce in mint state and rare in the premium gem grades. The Fivaz Stanton number is FS-802, formerly FS-022.5 and CONECA: 1-R-IV with NGC Variety Plus of VP-002. In addition, this coin just barely misses the 5 full step designation with some slight bridges under the 3rd pillar. I grade the steps 5-5-3-5 using the quarterstep method proposed by the FSNC (Full Step Nickel Club). This coin is basically the posterchild for this rare variety and I am proud to include it in the Atlantic City Set of Jefferson Nickels.
Comments:
It should be noted that I own an NGC MS65 1939 DDR "Doubled Monticello" Jefferson that was not included in this registry set. While the doubling is more pronounced and the variety is a must have for Jefferson collectors, the fact remains that this coin is far superior in both condition and rarity to my doubled Monticello. I purchased this coin at a retail price of $900 from an E-Bay seller in May 2009. This is a very impressive coin that is just oustide my top 5 and IMO, worth every penny spent.