Black Beauty Nickel 1 1

[Halbrook Family]

Are these black beauty nickels? Or are they just dirty nickels? What year would you find a black beauty? These are 1961D and 1954D. 

[Sandon]

   No, these coins are environmentally damaged, likely from having been buried. Remember that U.S. "nickels" are actually composed of an alloy of 75% copper, 25% nickel.  

[Mike Meenderink]

Hello and welcome to the forum. The coin you have posted is an environmentally damaged coin. It is not a "Black Beauty". The nick name "Black Beauty" was only given to Jefferson nickels minted in 1958 and 1959 at the Philidelphia Mint that had an improper alloy mix and/or improperly annealed. This caused some of these coins to take on a darked more gunmetal color to the coin. There are Nickels of other years that may be blackish, but they are not considered a "Black Beauty". Black Beauty nickels are only recognized from nickels minted in 1958 and 1959 in Philadelphia. NGC does not recognize the nick name "Black Beauty" and will only grade and encapsulate a 58-59 Jefferson Nickel with this error as an Improperly Annealed Planchet. ANACS however will recognize the nick name and grade and encapsulate stating Improper Alloy Mix "Black Beauty" if the coin is authentic. See mine below found in 1995 in a roll of nickels. Cheers.

Edited June 11 by Mike Meenderink

[RWB]

The improper alloy mix is bologna. The so-called 'black beauty' is nothing but a heat damaged coin. The surface copper was oxidized to the point that it was nearly black. The only way this would happen to a planchet at the mint is for the annealing system to be contaminated by oxygen during heat treatment. That would also damage thousands of other planchets and the batch would be condemned. After coinage, a nickel could be heated in the air with a gas flame until it reached the desired oxidation color.

In simple terms, it is just a cute name for damaged junk.

[Henri Charriere]

🐓 :  Say, Q, whaddya make of this.  Ya got one bloke sayin' they exist but are limited to Philly '58s and '59s, and one TPGS will recognize the moniker while another won't.

Q.A.:  Sorry, the only thing on my mind is tomorrow is D-day.  I received a call and dispatch from P--- confirming the deletion of my '09 rooster and another suggesting the Holy Grail is in the U.S.  Regarding the "Black Beauty." it's a nickname. Kinda like my uncle z likening me to an s.t.d. At least our Grand Master provided an explanation. I have seen them but never gave much thought about them.