1946 War Nickel?

[Diggin-N-Dumps]

I will make this short and sweet.

I’m guessing it’s a fake because I have been dooped a few times in the last year with either altered Coins or flat out fakes.

I got a bunch of coins from my Grandpa in November and have been slowing going thru them looking for Key dates.

Most were common Silvers and a few that were “Semi Key” if that. I was looking thru the nickels and saw this one.

I thought it was something special because the date looked odd…which now seems to be PMD…But what’s REALLY strange is that it has a Mint Mark on the Top Back.

Does anyone know if they still made War Nickels in 1946?.....Or I’m I seeing the date wrong on this coin? Its damaged, so I figured I might be making myself think I see a “6”

 

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[NHBandit]

What I am finding is that it did happen but with the normal reverse with no mint mark for the Philadelphia minted coins. Only one example ever certified by PCGS and it's shown here. Simply a normal 1946 Philadelphia mint nickle that was stamped on an older planchet. I can find nothing that says any were ever found with the wartime reverse with the large "P". I think it's a convenient coincidence that the only damage on the entire coin is right on the "6" and that leads me to believe that it's been altered. Profitable Coin Collecting - David L Ganz - Google Books

 

[Mackaydon]

No Wartime Silver Alloy nickels were minted in 1946, per Redbook.
Yours appears to be a '45 with PMD.
Don....

 

[huntsman53]

Sorry but it is actually a 1945-P Jefferson "War" Nickel! The "5" just became distorted due to the planchet Lamination (open crack running through Jefferson's shoulder Northeast through the bottom of the "5" and the centroid of the "4", then to about the top of the "9" in the Date) and De-Lamination Error (some of the metal separated and dislodged between the "5" and "4" in the Date and the rim).


Frank

 

[Diggin-N-Dumps]

What I am finding is that it did happen but with the normal reverse with no mint mark for the Philadelphia minted coins. Only one example ever certified by PCGS and it's shown here. Simply a normal 1946 Philadelphia mint nickle that was stamped on an older planchet. I can find nothing that says any were ever found with the wartime reverse with the large "P". I think it's a convenient coincidence that the only damage on the entire coin is right on the "6" and that leads me to believe that it's been altered. Profitable Coin Collecting - David L Ganz - Google Books

Thats what i was thinking too...Whats the chances of the most important number to be "damaged"

Whats really weird baout this coin , is not matter what angle i take the pic at...the numbers seem to look differnt.

Look at this one...it looks like part of the 4 is missing..and the 6 is very visable

 

[Diggin-N-Dumps]

I just dont see how they could have made a 5 into a 6

 

[NHBandit]

My thought is that for this to exist 2 mistakes would have had to happen. A wartime composition planchet AND a reverse die from 1945 got mixed up with a 1946 obverse die ? AND this is the only time it ever happened ? Nah... I agree with Don that it's a damaged "5"

 

[Diggin-N-Dumps]

My thought is that for this to exist 2 mistakes would have had to happen. A wartime composition planchet AND a reverse die from 1945 got mixed up with a 1946 obverse die ? AND this is the only time it ever happened ? Nah... I agree with Don that it's a damaged "5"

Yea, Im guessing so....its crazy thou...the more i look...I keep seeing that damn 6 !!!!...lol

thanks!

 

[huntsman53]

I just dont see how they could have made a 5 into a 6

They (as in the Mint Employees or anyone Post Mint) did not! The Planchet Flaw (Lamination Error or crack on the planchet) apparently existed when the Planchet went into the Striking Chamber. When the coin was struck, more than likely the pressure exhibited on the planchet during the striking process caused the Lamination Error to distort the surface of the coin, thus distorting the "5" and at the same time caused the De-Lamination Error (or separation of a portion of the surface of the coin). In distorting the "5" in the Date, the upper portions of the "5" was slightly turned (pushed) counter-clockwise while the curled tail of the "5" was pushed upwards and closed which makes it appear to be the closed lower loop of a "6".


Frank

 

[Diggin-N-Dumps]

Thanks Frank!...So you dont think someone altered this for some sort of Profit? Thats who i meant by "They"..I got dooped on a Penny not too long ago. I can see what you are talking about thou. Its so odd that no matter what angle i take pics, it seems like the numbers are either missing or distorted.

I Have a pic that makes it look like the "4" is missing and some that the "5" is missing.

I dont know anythign about Varities VS PMD...which is why i love this website.

thanks again!

 

[huntsman53]

Thanks Frank!...So you dont think someone altered this for some sort of Profit? Thats who i meant by "They"..I got dooped on a Penny not too long ago. I can see what you are talking about thou. Its so odd that no matter what angle i take pics, it seems like the numbers are either missing or distorted.

I Have a pic that makes it look like the "4" is missing and some that the "5" is missing.

I dont know anythign about Varities VS PMD...which is why i love this website.

thanks again!

From the Date's appearance, I can't see any evidence of tampering and believe that the "5" appearing as a "6" is merely the result of the Lamination Error (crack) and the Striking Process causing the metal to distort.

Just so that you will understand, this coin is an Error coin not a Variety coin or a PMD'd (Post Mint Damaged) coin. An Error coin results from either the Striking Process where something goes wrong (i.e. no collar and the Planchet is not centered in the Striking Chamber resulting in an Off-Center Strike, the same happens but the Planchet is struck twice due to not ejecting properly and another Planchet did not feed into the Chamber resulting in a Double Struck Off-Center Strike, no collar but the Planchet is centered in the Chamber when it is struck resulting in a Broadstrike, etc, etc.). A Variety is the result of issues with the Die (not the Planchet) (i.e. Doubled details and/or Lettering due to the Images being pressed into the Die with one die slightly or moderately rotated from the original pressing resulting in the Double Die Variety, a Mintmark was stamped twice or more times into the Die when manual punching was being done resulting in a RPM or Repunched Mintmark, the Date was recut into the Die but evidence of the original Date is left resulting in evidence of both resulting in a Re-Cut date Variety, a previous Dated and retired Die was restamped with another Date so that it could be used during the current striking or minting year and evidence of both Dates exist on a coin which results in a OD or Over Date Variety, etc., etc.). PMD is anything outside of these that occurred after the coin left the Mint thus it is Post Mint and accidental or man made.


Frank