2000 D Jefferson nickel

[Merlin8971]

Here is a reverse side of a 2000 D Jefferson nickel. The Us of A and e p u letters are fat and nearly double in thickness but the rest of the letters on the reverse are clear and normal thickness. What type would this fall under?

[wavysteps]

I suspect that die deterioration has something to do with the extra thickness of the letters. It is unusual.

BJ Neff

[Merlin8971]

discussion

Hello JB:

I know it might be difficult to analalize these coins. The thing that is confusing to me is that all of the lettering near the rim is what I would call "double fat" letters and I understand die deteriation could cause this (although it seems deteriated dies SEEM to have some sort of doubling characteristics present). But I would suspect that normally all or most of the details would show reasonable similar wear and characteristics. This coin, however, does shows the "double fat" lerrers around the rim, but the letters closer to the center show little or no deformity like the "double fat" letters on the rim and the Monticello "seems" to have fairly clear details with no edge doubling or interior doubling of the building.

I suspect I am having trouble understanding some of these characteristics. It is like when I see mechanical doubling on the washington quarters "In God We Trust. I can imagine in my thinking, of the die shifting at the highest point of pressure and flow of metal. What I cannot understand is how (example) the "IN" is shifted with "shelf" characteristics, the "GOD" the "G and O are shifted with "shelf" characteristics, BUT the "D" does NOT show any doubling characteristics at all, and the "WE" does not show any doubling characteristics, and when looking at "Trust" only two letters show the "shelf" doubling (maybe the TR is doubled, but the "U and/or S" do not show any doubling characteristics. THEN, when looking at the say "P" mintmark, it shows "shelf" doubling BUT IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION i.e. "IN GOD WE TRUST" lettering is shifted to the west, BUT the mintmark is shifted to the East. To me it seems to suggest the shift(s) were an unusual shift West then the die thru the verticle axis shifted to the East but only affected the right side of the coin. Would this suggest the die was not only not tightly fitted but also had a verticle axis tilt that caused an immediate but secondary shift of the die??

I am just trying to figure out if my reasoning is correect or if I am missing some characteristic that explains this apparent double shift in opposite directions. This is the reason I ask about a "discussion" of the coin.

When I showed the two Washington quarters in earlier posts, I knew they were probably both deteriated die doubling but since their characteristics were different, I was trying to distinguish the differences.

I am going to post two photos of another coin, a Roosevelt dime that shows "double fat" rim lettering (which does look like post mint damage) which seems to indicate a roller of some type under pressure rotated around the center of the coin while putting pressure on the outer 3/8 of an inch of the coin making the letters "fat." Although I have encountered (especially dimes) some rim recesses or indentations in the field near the rim that does not seem to affect the rim lettering.

I have also noticed some nickels (usually 50's or 60's) that have circular grooves in the center of the reverse (right in the middle of the Monticello building) on the reverse that seem to indicate the coin rotated against something causing the grooves. This characterisitic seems to be one that is not post mint damage but also not a die condition damage. I know this is a minor issue and not worthy of great discussion but it is curious and I would like to know what causes this characteristic too.