Population figures drop off to near zero on Shield nickels below AG3 0

[Nutmeg Coin]

I was trying to get a better date Shield nickel certified that looked to grade around fair 2, the service said they couldn't verify the date.  Then I checked PCGS and NGC and there were no fair 2s graded or poor 1s in the dates I looked up on their population reports..... Is that a common experience, that below AG3 you are unlikely to verify the date?

Edited August 9, 2022 by Nutmeg Coin

[zadok]

On 8/9/2022 at 3:33 PM, Nutmeg Coin said:

I was trying to get a better date Shield nickel certified that looked to grade around fair 2, the service said they couldn't verify the date.  Then I checked PCGS and NGC and there were no fair 2s graded or poor 1s in the dates I looked up on their population reports..... Is that a common experience, that below AG3 you are unlikely to verify the date?

...depends on the wear pattern... design of the coin n relief in the date areas big factors...no two the same...lo ball populations very limited cause very limited coin series not many collectors cept for type n almost all those high grade coin collectors, very few dealers would certify lo grade shields no financial gains...if u r trying to do a lo ball type set u should be able find a fr-02 with  verifiable date....

[Nutmeg Coin]

I'm actually trying to get a rare date certified, no dice on the first grading service, may try another.   1879 and 1880, none below AG.

[zadok]

On 8/9/2022 at 4:03 PM, Nutmeg Coin said:

I'm actually trying to get a rare date certified, no dice on the first grading service, may try another.   1879 and 1880, none below AG.

...u can try n exhaust the other tpgs n see if better luck...if that fails n the date is not discernible bout the only option left is if the die with the date has unique die characteristics identified with only that date and the coin exhibits those characteristics u can achieve ur goal by inference...the only problem is when the date is gone usually those unique characteristics r usually gone as well....

[Nutmeg Coin]

On 8/9/2022 at 7:45 PM, zadok said:

...u can try n exhaust the other tpgs n see if better luck...if that fails n the date is not discernible bout the only option left is if the die with the date has unique die characteristics identified with only that date and the coin exhibits those characteristics u can achieve ur goal by inference...the only problem is when the date is gone usually those unique characteristics r usually gone as well....

I sent the coin back to ICG on another submission.   I got the result this week--1872 Shield nickel not 1879 graded fair 2.  The dealer had priced it at $135 and then knocked some money off.