1?9?7?1? Jefferson Nickel

[Merlin8971]

Here is a Jefferson Nickel that I "think" is a 1971. It seems to have metal irregularily folded over the lettering from the rim on both the obverse and reverse. Logic would tell me that the extra metal was somehow moved toward the middle from the rim and/or rim lip. The edge shows significant rounding instead of flatness. It does give some sort of appearance that the metal was at least partially struck a second time to cause the metal to be pressed into the lettering. Monticello and Five Cents are also "smugged" and not sharp suggesting maybe a second strike also.

This does suggest a series of impossible steps to accomplish this. I'm stumped.

[diamond]

This is all just post-strike damage.

[flyank]

Might be interesting to take a micrometer to the diameter and see what the difference is to a standard issue (if any?). Also a weight to see if the "rolled" material is in fact parent material as one would expect or is it additive somehow. Interesting none the less!

[Merlin8971]

Thank you Flyank

Thank you Flyank for your reply to discuss this coin.

The nickel has a diameter of 20.84 mm +/- .01 mm (21.2mm standard) and the weight is 4.74 grams (5.0 grams standard).

Personally, I cannot figure out how this occurred (either in the mint or outside).

To me it appears to have been struck normally, then somehow spun under pressure to move the thin layer of rim metal flow towards the center covering the letters on the obverse and reverse in an irregular fashion and also giving the rounded appearance of the edge. It appears to have been struck a second time to flatten the thin metal flow to cause the metal flow to adhere to the letters taking on the charactristics of the height of the letters and the low points in between the letters. The edge under 200X magnification shows absolutely no sign of the rim metal being separate from the "flap" of irregular metal over the letters. But there is still a fairly high rim to be seen. Interestingly, the "wear" on the coin does not look like that would account for the .26 grams of under weight of the coin. Obviously, if there were metal added somehow, this 4.74 grams would be well over 5.0 grams.

The Monticello and Five Cents are also curious in that the letters are almost double width, rounded and "smugged." The building shows a similar "smugging." I interpret this as the above mentioned second strike.

This seems like an impossible set of steps, but I cannot think of any way the coin became this way, including post mint damage.

It is an extremely odd coin. But, while I think of it, I do believe I remember several years ago seeing another nickel that was similar. But it did not really catch my attention back then.

Any guesses on the date? I'm changing my guess to 1970 after looking under the scope.

[diamond]

This specimen shows the classic appearance of a "dryer coin". The coin tumbled within the fins of an industrial dryer for an extended period.