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I am looking at a 1954 Jefferson Nickel. The coin is in a ANACS slab graded PF67. At first glance, the subject coin appears to be a proof coin or the least struck on a proof planchet evidenced by the mirrored fields. The subject coin has dull lifeless overall toning very similar to what I have seen on hundreds of nickels in double mint sets from the fifties. The coin even has the "debris" you find on those coins like tiny pieces of the cardboard and tiny fibers. The obverse looks "normal" for sake of any other explanation however when you look closer the hair and ear are not clearly defined like on other proof coins. It is the reverse of the subject coin that tells a more striking story. The subject coin has the appearance of a business strike coin. The steps on Monticello which are normally 6 full steps on almost every proof nickel you find from this date are at best three full steps and incomplete. The strike on the reverse of the subject coin looks like a mediocre business strike coin from that date. The building itself is not crisp and sharp like you see on proof coins from that date. The subject coin also has "stretch marks" you see on some business strike coins. Which gets me to the rub...I think this coin is a business strike coin struck on a proof planchet. I think business strike coins are struck once at lower pressure and that would account for the incomplete steps. I think that proof coins are struck several times at higher pressure and that is why you see full and complete steps and crisp details on proof Jefferson nickels. The overall lack of contact marks and overall high quality appearance of the subject coin would argue against that being the case although there are MS67 coins from that date. I was able to find two die marks on the obverse of the subject coin with hopes of being able to isolate a matching die pair however after searching hundreds of pictures on PCGS, I could not find a single match. I see that NGC has listings in the fifties for Proof-like (PL) designated coins. Is that the same thing as a business strike coin on a proof planchet? It's all in the steps! Thoughts or comments?
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