The Atlantic City Set of Jefferson Nickels
Private
Updated:
1/26/2026
Views: 10,466
The Jefferson Nickel series is one of the most diverse in all of United States coins. It is possible to assemble an album collection from searching circulated change at a minimum of expense all the way up to a $100K+ collection of top pop full step certified coins. Different collectors covet different aspects of coin collecting including but not limited to: price, rarity, strike, grade, toning & eye appeal, as well as errors & varieties. The Jefferson Nickel series incorporates all of these and really does appeal to everyone. There is a full step designation for the strike conscious collector, a multitude of doubled dies and RPM’s for the variety collector, and many fantastically patinated examples for the toning enthusiast.
I am a collector who covets eye appeal first and foremost. Without eye appeal coins become generic in my eyes. While an untoned coin can still display a measure of eye appeal based on strike and luster it just can’t approach the unique appearance that a rainbow toned coin can offer. Having said that, toning is not the end of eye appeal, rather it is just the beginning. Without luster, the colorful toning loses the vibrancy that yields the eye popping appearance.
Registry sets are typically all about grade, the number on the plastic, and points, the number on the screen. The majority of the registry participants simply list their coins in the appropriate slot never bothering to photograph or describe their coins. There is no doubt that the highest grade should be rewarded, but just as toning is only the start to eye appeal; grade is only the start to a great coin or collection. A great collection must have it all. Each coin should be superlative in one way or another, whether it is a top pop with blazing luster, a monster toner with undeniable eye appeal, or a hammered strike on a normally weakly struck issue, it must be special. Regardless of what attributes make the coin special, a number can never describe a great coin. I wouldn’t even know how to evaluate a collection without photos & descriptions.
My goal is to assemble the finest collection of Jefferson Nickels. The collection might not have the highest grades, the most points, or cost the most money, but when viewed it will leave the observer in awe. I want the other top ranking competitors to fear my collection, novice collectors to envy it, and Jefferson haters to respect it. This can only be accomplished by selecting each coin with an unrelenting focus on overall quality. I would like to share some of the highlights of this collection broken down in the followoing categories: Stats, My Top 5, Named Coins, Varieties, Pedigrees, Homemades, and 2020 NEWPS & Upgrades.
STATS: The collection is 75 coins and complete.
Top Pops: 9 (12%)
5FS (5 Full Steps): 19 (25.3%)
6FS (6 Full Steps): 4 (5.3%)
Star Designations: 10 (13.3%)
+ Designations: 3 (4.0%)
Varieties: 5 (6.7%)
Homemades: 11 (14.7%)
MY TOP 5: These are the top five ranked coins in the entire set taking all factors including eye appeal, price, rarity, and availability into consideration.
1) 1941-D NGC MS67* 5FS
2) 1943-P DDO "Doubled Eye" NGC MS67 5FS
3) 1946-D Over Horizontal D NGC MS66
4) 1940-S NGC MS67 6FS
5) 1950-D NGC MS67 5FS
NAMED COINS: Coins with a special story earning a nickname, check em out!!
1) THE AVATAR: 1939-D Rev of 40
2) MENTOS: 1941
3) THE KING: 1941-D
4) THE SLEEPER: 1942-D
5) PINNACLE: 1943-P
6) CONSERVATION: 1943-D
7) ENCHANTER: 1945-D
8) THE WHITE WHALE: 1950-D
9) DESTINY: 1952
10) LOST & FOUND: 1958-D
VARIETIES: A list of the different varieties represented in this collection.
1) 1939 Rev of 40 DDR "Doubled Monticello" NGC MS65
2) 1941-S Large "S" NGC MS66
2) 1943-P DDO "Doubled Eye" NGC MS67 5FS
3) 1943/2-P Overdate NGC MS67
4) 1946-D Over Inverted D NGC MS66
PEDIGREES: A list of coins with significant provenances.
1) THE COMPRADORE COLLECTION: 1944-P
2) THE APPALACHIAN HOARD: 1945-S
3) THE BINGHAM COLLECTION: 1945-S
4) THE MONTICELLO COLLECTION: 1938, 1948-S
5) THE ALBUM COLLECTION: 1947-S, 1949-D, 1951-S
HOMEMADES: A list of coins that I submitted directly to NGC for grading.
1) 1939 Rev of 38 NGC MS67 (Ocean under the Moon)
2) 1939-S Rev of 38 NGC MS66 5FS
3) 1941 NGC MS67 5FS (Mentos)
4) 1941-S Large "S" NGC MS66 (Largesse)
5) 1942-D PCGS MS67FS (The Sleeper)
6) 1943-D NGC MS67 6FS (Conservation)
7) 1945-D NGC MS67 (Enchanter)
8) 1950-D NGC MS67 5FS (White Whale)
9) 1953-D NGC MS67
10) 1959-D NGC MS66+
11) 1961 NGC MS66
2021 NEWPS & Upgrades: A list of new purchases and upgrades during this year.
1) 1939-S Rev of 38 NGC MS66 5FS purchased on 2/6/2021 and replaced an NGC MS67
2) 1942-D PCGS MS67FS: A homemade from my album collection that replaced an NGC MS67 6FS graded on 2/26/2021
3) 1956-D NGC MS67 purchased on 1/13/2021 replaced an MS66*
4) 1958-D NGC MS66 5FS: A NEWP on 2/6/2021 that replaced a LOST MS66 5FS.
5) 1961 NGC MS66: A NEWP on 4/5/2021, sent to NGC as a HOMEMADE and replaced a higher graded MS67
6) 1961-D NGC MS66: A NEWP on 10/17/2021 that replaced a PCGS MS65
7) 1963-D NGC MS67: A NEWP on 10/17/2021 that replaced an NGC MS66.
Upon completion, I want to have a top ranking set with each coin meticulously presented with accurate oversized photographs and catalog quality descriptions. Every photograph & description will be an original work. The collection should convey to every observer the level of passion that I have for this great hobby. Please enjoy!
References:
A GUIDE BOOK OF BUFFALO AND JEFFERSON NICKELS by Q. David Bowers
THE JEFFERSON NICKEL ANALYST by Bernard Nagengast
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The Atlantic City Set of Jefferson Nickels
By lehigh96
Owner Comments:
Best Presented Set
Set Awards
Best Presented Set
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