Well, since we're on a nickel kick...

[EZ_E]

I just received the 1994 and 1997 matte proof (matte uncirculated?) Jefferson nickels as well as the 1998 S matte proof Kennedy half.

 

I actually bought the commemorative sets from Coast to Coast coins at a good price.

 

The '94 has a mintage of c. 130,000 and lists for $75.

 

The '97 has a mintage of only 25,000 and lists for $250.

 

The '98 Kennedy has a mintage of just over 60,000 and it lists at $400.

 

These are very unique coins with, IMO, lots of potential!

 

Coast to Coast (and I usually am very skeptical of them) offered the sets as follows:

 

1) 1993 Jefferson Currency set contains a ms Jefferson commem dollar, a 1976 two dollar bill star note and the '94 matte "uncirculated" nickel -- $85

 

2) 1997 Botanical Garden set contains an uncirculated dollar commem, a 1997 (dated 1995) one dollar bill as well as the '97 matte "uncirculated" nickel -- c. $199

 

3) 1998 Robert Kennedy set contains the uncirculated RFK dollar and the JFK matte proof half -- $269

 

Well, anyway guys and gals, I'm excited about them since they've been on my want list for awhile now. Just thought that I'd share and encourage ya to maybe pick up a set, especially the '97 nickel. Think, with a mintage of only 25K for such a long running series, the price has nothing to do but escalate. This is especially reasonable since we have the neo-nicks coming out next year.

 

edited to insert correct prices

[EZ_E]

p.s. To pick up some of these examples, just visit my website:

 

yadeeda@FTN.com

 

Psyche!

 

[MAULEMALL]

3) 1998 Robert Kennedy set contains the uncirculated RFK dollar and the JFK matte proof half -- $260 That seems to be very cheap.That set is selling for over $300.00 here.

[EZ_E]

I'm pretty sure that that was the right price since the total for all three sets was in the lower five hundreds.

[CarlWohlforth]

I think calling those SMS nickels Matte Proofs is reasonable. I call them that. It seems many call them Uncirculated coins as they are very different from the Deep Cameo proofs also minted those years.

 

I guess I lucked out buying that RFK/JFK set directly from the mint

 

After a bad experience I won't even look at C 2 C ads anymore...

[Leothelion]

Think, with a mintage of only 25K for such a long running series, the price has nothing to do but escalate.

Yes, that'll probably be true in about a 100 years, but the prices for the two nickels haven't changed much. And I believe the 1997-P is more like $125.

Earlier this year, I purchased a moderately frosted proof, a 1939 reverse of 1940 nickel and they only made 12,535 proofs for that year. The population of the reverse of 1940 proof makes up a fraction of that total, likely a mintage of around 600 ( I'm guessing from memory, too lazy to look it up) but yet I paid out just $900 for the coin so I don't see any esculating of prices for those two new nickels for awhile.

 

Leo

[Oldtrader3]

Victor: I have those three sets as well. I need to get the (2) Matte Nickels and the Matte Kennedy certified one of these days. Mine are still in sets. I agree that the Nickels have upside potential (particularly the '97).

OT3

[TomB]

At some point I will have to buy examples of those matte finish coins, I think they look quite cool. The matte proof Lincolns that I have look completely different than anything else in the series and I think these would be similar.

[michael]

for me great one year type coins with excellent potential

 

and i think a winner with the new jeff nicks coming out in 2004

 

sets will be started and these coins will be needed

 

and even by themselves they are matte proofs and i think one of the few matte proofs if only matte proof nicks since the matte proof buffs of the teens

 

and those special finish kennedy halves one year type coins also great coins to own

 

 

michael

[EZ_E]

Carl,

 

How much was the 1998 RFK/JFK set directly from the mint? It seems like, for now anyway, that you just can't go wrong with products directly from the mint. I just noticed today that the 2002 uncirculated Kennedy halves are ten and fifteen dollars apiece, now.

p.s. Carl, I'd been burned by C 2 C before, too, but I swallowed my pride and bought these from them because of the good prices.

 

Leon,

 

I see your point! I recently acquired a 1942 P proof silver war nickel in NGC PR 67 with awesome toning. Its population is low and has excellent potential. It is now one third the price as it was during the '89 peak. So, whether in 5 or 100 years, this dawg will have its day.

Yet, it is all about demand, too. Look at the 1995 W ASE with a mintage of 30,000. It sells for two or three grand now.

I really feel that these three coins will see a huge appreciation w/i the next five years. But, I'm certainly not a prophet.

 

Charlie,

 

I want to send mine in for certification, too, at some point. I noticed that there are a fair number grading 70. I carefully looked at mine and noticed a large tick on the pillar on the '97 with full but "wavy" steps on the two. I found it strange that a large number of these coins failed to receive the FS designation. Strange?! since they are proofs and I assume that they were double struck. Anyone know for sure?

It appears to me that the defect in the steps were from a mint employee sand-blasting the heck out of the original die and got a little carried away. It's unusual that both the '94 and the '97 has this "defect" in the same location (left, upper steps). This suggests to me that they used the same master hub for both reverses.

 

TomB,

 

I've never actually seen a matte proof Lincoln. Maybe I'll hunt some down at the Tacoma Coin Show next week to see what they actually look like. In the recent seminar that I took, one of the instructors said that he used to win bets by identifing a matte proof cent blind-folded. He said that the rim felt sharp and was very distinct.

 

Michael,

 

Thanks for your input. Excellent points!

[Leothelion]

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[Android]

In general, I am not a fan of the Kennedy series, but this coin is seriously cool!