Obtained a 1960 Jefferson Nickel NGC MS66* from Greattoning (E-Bay seller) for $175.50 and 79 registry points.

The coin was won using a max bid of $464.50.

1960 JEFFERSON NICKEL NGC MS66*

Seller: E-Bay Seller: Greattoning

E-Bay Listing: 320839392032

Ended: Feb 08, 2012 18:44:01 PST

Coin Description:

Golden Centers radiate outward to a thick band of lilac followed by rainbow bands including yellow, cherry red, orange, and lime green. The surfaces are smooth and the strike is strong despite the complete absence of any steps. Strong luster in combination with the great album toning results in stunning eye appeal yielding a well deserved star designation.

Comments:

According to the NGC census (2/2012), this is the only 1960 Jefferson Nickel that has been awarded a star designation. In fact, from 1960-1963, NGC has only awarded a total of 6 star designations across all dates. None of the Denver mint coins have been awarded a star. Not a single nickel from 1961 has been awarded a star. Only one of the 6 coins has full steps. My point is that finding Jefferson Nickels from the early sixties with exceptional eye appeal is a very difficult task indeed. When you find one like the present example, you must act, and act decisively. My bid was almost 3X what I paid for the coin because I know exactly how scarce these coins are.

Even finding an untoned generic premium gem examples are difficult. Consider that the populations (2/2012) for the 1960 Jefferson Nickel are PCGS (45/0) and NGC (113/7). Heritage has never auctioned an MS67 1960 Jefferson. Heritage has only listed 5 total MS66 Jefferson Nickels in their history. There are examples available on E-Bay but all are either overpriced or very uninspiring with respect to eye appeal. In my search to find superlative examples for my collection, I consider this a major achievement despite the apparent indifference shown by the rest of the Jefferson Nickel community as evidenced by the sale price.

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