What Year Jefferson Nickels Have Full Steps?

The Jefferson nickel, a five-cent coin, has been a familiar part of American currency since its introduction in 1938. Collectors often seek out specific characteristics that can significantly increase a coin’s numismatic value, with “full steps” being a particularly sought-after feature. This designation refers to the distinct, complete steps visible on the Monticello monument, Thomas Jefferson’s Virginia estate, depicted on the reverse side of the coin. The presence of full steps indicates a strong strike and excellent preservation, making these coins highly desirable among enthusiasts.

Understanding Full Steps

The “full steps” designation refers to the clear and complete visibility of the steps leading up to Monticello on the coin’s reverse. While Monticello features six steps, the designation typically requires at least five, or sometimes all six, to be fully delineated without interruption or weakness. These steps must be clearly separated from top to bottom, exhibiting sharp lines and distinct individual risers. The absence of breaks, blending, or marks across the entire width of each step is crucial for this designation.

A coin with partial steps might show some indication of the design, but the lines would be incomplete, faded, or merged due to insufficient striking pressure or post-mint wear. Professional grading services, such as PCGS (Professional Coin Grading Service) and NGC (Numismatic Guaranty Company), use specific criteria, with PCGS typically requiring five complete steps for their “FS” designation, while NGC uses “5FS” for five steps and “6FS” for six steps.

Factors Affecting Full Steps

The presence or absence of full steps on a Jefferson nickel is primarily influenced by conditions during the minting process and the coin’s subsequent handling. A strong strike, where the dies impress the design deeply and evenly onto the coin blank, is fundamental for producing full steps. This requires optimal striking pressure and well-maintained dies that are sharp and free from wear. As dies are used repeatedly, they can experience wear, leading to a weaker impression and less defined details, including the Monticello steps.

The composition of the coin itself also plays a role; the copper-nickel alloy used for nickels can be challenging to strike sharply. Furthermore, any post-mint circulation wear or damage, such as abrasions or contact marks, can obscure the delicate step details, even if the coin initially had a strong strike.

How to Identify Full Steps

Identifying full steps on a Jefferson nickel requires careful visual inspection of the coin’s reverse side, specifically the Monticello monument. The steps are located at the base of the building, and you should look for at least five distinct, horizontal lines that represent the individual steps. Each of these lines must be unbroken and clearly separated from the lines above and below it, extending fully across the width of the steps. Any blending, fading, or interruption of these lines would disqualify the coin from the full steps designation.

To accurately assess this feature, using magnification, such as a jeweler’s loupe, is recommended. Proper lighting is also crucial; examining the coin under different light angles can help reveal subtle details and identify any weaknesses in the strike. Collectors often seek coins graded MS-65 or higher for full steps, as this indicates a high level of preservation necessary for these fine details to remain visible.

Significant Full Steps Nickels

Certain years and mint marks of Jefferson nickels are particularly noted for their full steps designation, often commanding higher premiums due to their rarity with this feature. The 1938-D is a challenging first-year issue to find with full steps in high grades, making it very valuable. The 1939-D with the “Reverse of 1940,” characterized by straight steps rather than wavy ones, is another highly sought-after full steps variety. The 1950-D, despite its relatively low mintage, is scarce with full steps because many were not sharply struck.

Other difficult dates to find with full steps include the 1953-S, with only a limited number of known examples, and later issues such as the 1961-D, 1963-D, 1965, 1968-D, 1969-D, and 1970-D. For some years, like the 1967 and 1969-S, full steps examples are exceedingly rare or even unknown. Conversely, wartime nickels from 1942 through 1945, made of a silver alloy, are generally more readily available with full steps due to the different metal composition and dies. The value of a full steps nickel can increase significantly, sometimes by as much as 50% compared to non-full steps examples, depending on the specific year, mint mark, and overall grade.