Obtained a 1945-P Jefferson Nickel PCGS MS65 FS from Heritage Rare Coins for $109 and it replaced a coin with the same grade in my PCGS registry set.

The auction was won using a max bid of $110.

Heritage Rare Coin Auctions

Tuesday Internet Coin Auction #210063 Lot #24453

Descripton: 1945-P Jefferson Nickel PCGS MS65 FS

Since the coin was in a Tuesday Internet Only auction, there is no description listed by Heritage. The Heritage photos clearly showed the pale yellow patina and a razor sharp strike for the issue. However, the new photographic method employed by Heritage left the luster of the coin a mystery. My real concern was how prominent the gouges in Jefferson's coat would appear in hand.

After receiving the coin which appeared to be a low end MS65 from the Heritage photos, I was greeted by a coin with superb gem strike, luster, and eye appeal. Only the surfaces were limiting the grade and even the marks on Jefferson's coat were less pronounced in hand. All in all this is a very attractive gem of probably the most difficult of the war nickel issues.

There is the slightest blending of the 3rd & 4th steps under the second pillar. While PCGS will routinely award the FS designation to coins with steps like this, NGC is much more strict and I estimate that the coin would have a 50/50 shot at a 5FS designation from NGC.