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This 1953-S Jefferson Nickel is one of the top 3-4 coins for this date to own!

Started by Leothelion,

12 posts in this topic

Leothelion

Leothelion

Posted
Posted

Hi everyone

This 1953-S is perhaps one of the best 3-4 examples for this date that I'm aware of to own! I know who owns this coin and I have invited him here. From what I can see from the pictures of this 1953-S, the strike looks MDS, the steps are very nice, and the eye appeal is really exceptional. I would place the value of this coin in the 4 digit range and a true full step collector would recognize just how rare this coin is in respect to it's strike, condition and steps.

 

Enjoy the pictures!

 

Leo

Hoot

Hoot

Posted
Posted

It's a nice strike and good detail throughout. The steps are better than most examples of the date. The die state is (I'd agree) MDS, and some nice peripheral toning has developed with accentuation of flow lines. Looks like a solid MS65 example, but it's not 5 FS due to the bridging. (But who cares. smirk.gif - and I mean that.)

 

Although it's a very nice piece for a 53-S, I certainly would not place it in the top 3-4, even for those currently known. I'd regard most EDS specimens with a strong and crisp strike, full steps or not, as more desireable pieces. I'm not trying to criticize the piece, as it's a nice one, but I think that it's tough to make such equivocal statements about most coins in the Jefferson nickel series.

 

Hoot

Leothelion

Leothelion

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Hoot

One of the greatest experiences I've had along the way while collecting Jefferson Nickels is personally meeting some of the greatest FS collectors of the last 40 to 50 years! The MDS 53-S is the result of one man's effort that spans 25 years! Of course there's always the possibility of other nice examples surfacing.

But I'm only aware of 3 examples that are respectable in strike, condition and steps! A 4th coin is quite possible as I know of two other great collections but our paths have not crossed yet. A very nice 61-D came out of a raw collection earlier this year so anything is possible.

 

Leo

Hoot

Hoot

Posted
Posted

Hi Leo - It's just that I don't think that any single combination of characteristics defines what's best. Personally, I like my MS67 non-FS 53-S better. It's EDS and quite well struck except for the steps. The devices (except steps) are quite sharp with square edges, surfaces are quite beautiful and the toning makes the piece great to look at. But you see, the combination of characteristics on the coin is quite different than that for the specimens you are speaking of. So it seems that defining the "top 3 or 4" or any other "top coins" for that matter, is a matter of what any person finds important to collecting the series.

 

I still like step definition, but it's not the central characteristic to my interest in the series.

 

Just my thoughts on the matter. Hoot

Leothelion

Leothelion

Posted
  • Author
Posted

If you have an EDS, high grade 1953-S Jefferson with no steps, it's 100X better then a LDS, low grade coin that happens to have 5 steps! All those weak struck 53-S's pcgs has slabbed are junk coins! They all need to find a home in a trash can but that's not going to happen as long as all them novice buyers keep buying into the pcgs slabbed collection and remain dependent upon what pcgs thinks! 27_laughing.gif

 

Leo

Oldtrader3

Oldtrader3

Posted
Posted

I have been looking for a '53-S Jeff. for a Registry set but think that I will stick with a high grade no steps.

Hoot

Hoot

Posted
Posted
If you have an EDS, high grade 1953-S Jefferson with no steps, it's 100X better then a LDS, low grade coin that happens to have 5 steps! All those weak struck 53-S's pcgs has slabbed are junk coins! They all need to find a home in a trash can but that's not going to happen as long as all them novice buyers keep buying into the pcgs slabbed collection and remain dependent upon what pcgs thinks! 27_laughing.gif

 

Leo

 

I could not agree more.

 

But did you see the 53-S "MS63fs" ANACS graded coin that just sold on Teletrade? 27_laughing.gif It was really the grade that got me.

 

Hoot

Hoot

Hoot

Posted
Posted
I have been looking for a '53-S Jeff. for a Registry set but think that I will stick with a high grade no steps.

 

yay.gifyay.gifyay.gif

jom

jom

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Posted

MDS? EDS? LDS? Sounds like you guys are on LSD. 27_laughing.gif

 

Please explain. 893scratchchin-thumb.gif

 

What I think you guys are getting at is that it is better to find an overall nice coin rather than concentrating on ONE particular aspect. If so, I agree. I'd much rather have a non-FH SLQ, for instance, with nice color than a plain old dull FH coin even if that coin is "rare" in FH.

 

Of course, who am I to talk? I almost always favor a coin with nice toning and luster to one with a good strike (just look at my Buffalos...Mush City but with nice color). I suppose I'm doing the same thing, no? Fortunately, there are no "full luster" designations that go for a premium...

 

jom

spy88

spy88

Posted
Posted

jom, the acronyms stand for Early Die State (EDS), Late and Mid Die States. EDS having the strongest strike detail compared to M or LDS and LDS being the worst. Because of the hardness and the annealing of the metal used (as well as other factors in minting Jeffs back then), the distinctions between these die states is fairly easy to notice, especially in the hair on the obverse and the Monticello bldg and steps on the reverse.

 

The conundrum for me stems from the fact that one can have a very EDS Jeff but it can lack any step detail and appear as a ski ramp. The opposite is true as well. I have many LDS Jeffs with very to fairly weak device strikes but have very nice step detail. confused-smiley-013.gif This scenerio is rampant throughout the Jeff series but is most prevalent with the '53-S and '54-S and early '60 thru '64 P and D Jeffs (especially the '60-D and '61-D) as all three mints kept pounding out nickels regardless of quality during these years.

 

For the dates/mms given, finding truly well struck Jeffs with full steps is near impossible thus making them very collectible. Some Jeff collectors want the EDS and care not for the steps, some want sharp clean steps and settle for M or LDS strikes and there are those who want both and are continually hunting to find Jeffs that have them (me). But because of the rarity with both attributes, many must settle for something in between such as a MDS with some step detail.

 

Here is an example of a LDS with some step detail. I have others in MDS but not with the steps.

 

678581-53-s003.jpg678583-53-s002.jpg

678596-53-s001.jpg

Leothelion

Leothelion

Posted
  • Author
Posted
If you have an EDS, high grade 1953-S Jefferson with no steps, it's 100X better then a LDS, low grade coin that happens to have 5 steps! All those weak struck 53-S's pcgs has slabbed are junk coins! They all need to find a home in a trash can but that's not going to happen as long as all them novice buyers keep buying into the pcgs slabbed collection and remain dependent upon what pcgs thinks! 27_laughing.gif

 

Leo

 

I could not agree more.

 

But did you see the 53-S "MS63fs" ANACS graded coin that just sold on Teletrade? 27_laughing.gif It was really the grade that got me.

 

Hoot

 

Someone dependant on pcgs to put their collections together failed to cross it and sent it back to Teletrade! That was the second time the coin sold in 6 weeks time on TT! 27_laughing.gif

 

And it wouldn't surprise me that coin will end up in a pcgs MS65FS slab! foreheadslap.gif

 

Leo 27_laughing.gif

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