Nickels BU and Steps 1 1

[Halbrook Family]

Question: When it comes to nickels How many steps the nickel has the better right? But what if it's BU but there isn't all the steps? Better to have the steps vs not having one so bright?  I'm just starting out and don't want to buy the same coin a few times until I get it right. I'm trying to fill a  Dansco book I got as a present. 

[The Neophyte Numismatist]

Okay... I am not nearly as qualified as @Lem E or @J P M, but I will tell you the little I know and they can fill in the blanks...

"Full Steps" means that there are 5-6 uninterrupted steps (no dings that break the line of the steps).  Anything you see with "4 steps" or "almost full steps" is not and will never be full steps.  The FS designation is a way to judge a quality strike, but its a little more complicated than that.  Nickel is a tough metal, and therefore it will be easier to get better steps on the silver War Nickels from 1942-45.  Also, the dies are a big consideration... there are years in the 60s where the dies are worn and there are no steps (no steps in the dies means no steps on the coins).  

...again, I am no expert, but that gives you some background.

Edited August 8, 2023 by The Neophyte Numismatist

[Coinbuf]

While terms like full steps or full head (for standing liberty quarters) are sought after by some collectors, especially registry collectors, there is no requirement to seek out coins that meet the requirements for those descriptors.   In fact, many times I have viewed a full step or full head coin and been disappointed with the overall quality of the strike and have at times felt that the coin didn't meet the requirements to be given that description.

What you should be looking for a coins that you like, that give you joy when you see them in your album, if those coins happen to have true full steps that is great and a nice bonus.   But unless you are putting together a top level registry set, I would not stress over such a minor thing.   I have several sets of both BU and AU Jefferson nickels and while some are full steps that was not the focus when putting those together.  Also, as Neo said there are some sellers out there that try and hype those almost there coins, the 4 step coins, as something special and attempt to charge full step prices.   I caution you to be careful when you encounter sellers that try this selling technique, those coins are often not the PQ beauties that the sellers are hyping.

Here is a link to the area on NGC that talks about full step grading.   One final thing, NGC differentiates between 5 and 6 steps, PCGS does not, once a coin has five full uninterrupted steps that is all PCGS needs to apply the full step designation.

NGC full step grading link

Just for fun one of my nickels that gives me joy to view, this one is a full step coin.

 

Edited August 8, 2023 by Coinbuf

[J P M]

Both Neo and Coinbuf have given you great responses, Being a collector I can only add that each coin has it's own merits and some times as Coinbuf said a FS coin my not be the best quality coin in the batch. I want to add when I fill a book I look for more of a good strike with a minimum amount of bag marks. Some coin books you never see the reverse of the coin . 

Edited August 8, 2023 by J P M

[Halbrook Family]

In my book you can see the back. But I have a coin that is kind of dull but you can see the steps. Another coin you can see a little of the steps but the coin is BU. Not that I'll ever get them graded but how would they grade those? The Books are quite fun to play with. I made a little treasure chest for the loose silver coins of mine. I have pulled so many from the coin star machine. Do you go back and purchase BU coins for your book? Nickels are fun coins to collect. 1938 up until the 2000's they look the same. You can still easily pull a old one with pocket change. You can even find a silver.  

[J P M]

On 8/8/2023 at 2:57 PM, edhalbrook said:

In my book you can see the back. But I have a coin that is kind of dull but you can see the steps. Another coin you can see a little of the steps but the coin is BU. Not that I'll ever get them graded but how would they grade those? The Books are quite fun to play with. I made a little treasure chest for the loose silver coins of mine. I have pulled so many from the coin star machine. Do you go back and purchase BU coins for your book? Nickels are fun coins to collect. 1938 up until the 2000's they look the same. You can still easily pull a old one with pocket change. You can even find a silver.  

Welcome to the forum edhalbrook. I do a lot of roll hunting so almost every coin in my cent, nickel and quarter books are from circulated coins. Recently I did purchase a nice 2009 BU only because it is a very low mintage count. Trying to find that coin has been a long task. I am also working on my NGC registry set of nickels. That set may take a bit longer with a total of over 300 nickels. LoL

[Halbrook Family]

Jeez 300 nickels.Quality Buffalo nickels seem kind of expensive. When I go to the bank I ask for halves. Sometimes they have them. How are they when you ask for rolls at the bank? From what little I have asked so far it kind of depends what teller you get. I kind of think that more silver will hit the circulation. I'm not so sure kids these days know about silver. Their parents are getting older and they probably just cash them in. Did you get a whole roll of 2009 BU? Have you found many silver quarters? From coin star I have found 60 dimes and five quarters. From studying the red book I did learn about silver nickels and have found one of those so far. A while back I started metal detecting. I have gotten lots of change but nothing that amazing. More very damaged coins then anything. 

[JKK]

A nickel can easily be MS without full steps. A bag mark could interrupt one of the steps, or more commonly the last two never struck up to begin with. 

[Sandon]

On 8/8/2023 at 2:57 PM, edhalbrook said:

In my book you can see the back

   Your "book", which I assume has clear plastic slides over both sides of the coins, is most commonly known as a "coin album".  The holder shown by @J P M is usually referred to as a "coin folder".

   Coin folders are only suitable for low value, preferably circulated coins because the unprotected surface is easily exposed to one's fingers, other surfaces, and the open air, all of which can cause a coin to become worn, unattractively "toned" or corroded. 

   While you can keep uncirculated or more valuable coins in coin albums, you should follow certain precautions. First of all, be very careful not to touch anything other than the edge of the coin with your bare hands while inserting it into the album. I usually place my hands in clean plastic sandwich bags before doing so and insert the coin with the untouched, bottom facing part of the top slide. It is also important to insert the coin deeply enough so that the top slide does not rub against the coin when you move it in or out.  The slide rubbing against the coin can result in abrasions called "slide marks" that will reduce the coin's grade and value.  

   Regardless of the types of holders you use, you should store your collection in a cool, dry place away from cooking or other smoke or odors.  Humidity and smoke can be destructive over time.

[Halbrook Family]

JPM I just got back from a few days with my Father. God I went through so many nickels. My Father's change, My brother's nickel slot machine. A massive mound of nickels. I did find 3 2009D nickels. And a silver. I pulled all 1940's and 1950's nickels. How can I tell what the counterfeit nickels are? Somewhere I have the five years they could be. 1944 does not have a mint on it but how do I tell the others if they are part of that? Is there a weight that they are vs other nickels? There must be a easy  way to figure that out. Plus he had some I needed for my Dasco book or as Sanson kindly pointed out my coin album. I got a couple of Penny coin folders but I just started that.  

 My Father used to be a coin collector and he gave me a bunch of things. 63 silver nickels. Sadly there isn't any that are in mint shape. He gave me some foreign coins. He has a ton of pennies for my next visit. Jars of ones that are separated 1930"s 1940's and 1950's. 

 It has been lots of fun so far. I bought a few silver sets, A couple of uncirculated sets which are cheap. I gave up buying scratchers. 

 Also do you think holding onto copper pennies is worth it? That was the thing that started getting me into coin collecting. That and finding all that silver in the coin machine. I think copper pennies are worth about 2 1/2 cents for melt value.  

[J P M]

I am glad you are having a wonderful time with your Dad. I am sure he is also just as excited that you have takin a interest in coins. I would take your time and inspect the coins slowly learn what dates to keep a eye out for. If you have some war nickels without large mint marks over Monticello than please post them so we can have a look. Feel free to post any coin you have a question on just crop the shot with your phone take a shot of the obverse and reverse keeping the phone about 4 to 6" away and then zoom to get the full coin in the screen. Just like the ones you did above. and start a new thread for each coin.

Edited August 13, 2023 by J P M

[JKK]

The Guati and damaged Soviet pieces seem irrelevant to the topic at hand. What do they have to do with US nickels?

Edited August 13, 2023 by JKK

[Fenntucky Mike]

 

[NeverEnoughCoins09]

On 8/8/2023 at 4:17 PM, edhalbrook said:

 From coin star I have found 60 dimes and five silver quarters.

I have around 200 silver dimes from the same method. I believe it is a popular method for finding some junk silver or some decent Roosevelt's sometimes. I have taught my stepdaughter to do the same when I first got her into collecting. If you found those in a short amount of time that's nice! I rarely come across any where I live sadly.

[Halbrook Family]

On 8/13/2023 at 10:12 AM, NeverEnoughCoins09 said:

I have around 200 silver dimes from the same method. I believe it is a popular method for finding some junk silver or some decent Roosevelt's sometimes. I have taught my stepdaughter to do the same when I first got her into collecting. If you found those in a short amount of time that's nice! I rarely come across any where I live sadly.

It took me about a year to get 60 dimes and five quarters. When I hit about 50 I started to think coin collecting could be fun. I work at a store that has one of those machines so every time I pass it I check it out. I even got one of those gold plated quarters with a little hologram on it. I don't know why they bothered doing that.   Lots of Foreign. Nothing really old on foreign but I think I got about $200 when I cash them in this week.