2016-02-26 Fri

From 1938 to 2003, the U.S. Mint made many modifications to the Jefferson 5-cent coin, be it the reverse style of 1938 (wavy steps) or the 1940 (straight steps).

More changes were made to the design in 1967. In 1971, engravers at the Mint reworked the entire reverse design by sharpening outlines of all the doors and windows on Monticello. The roof balustrade was rendered in crisp detail for the first time ever on a Jefferson 5-cent coin.

In 1988, Walter Breen, in his Complete Encyclopedia of U.S. and Colonial Coins, stated that examples of 1971 5-cent coins with the earlier reverse type might possibly exist which are generally referred as transitional variety. Breen also mentions that no 1971 Jefferson, Reverse of 1967 5-cent coins have ever been reported.

Out of the 112 listings of 1972 and 1972-D 5-cent coins on eBay, 27 had no reverse image. Of the 43 and 42 auctions examined for the 1972 and 1972-D coins, only one 1972 Jefferson 5-cent coin had the Reverse of 1967. All other 84 coins bore Reverse of 1971. That’s why the 1972 and 1972-D coins with Reverse of 1967 are more precious and rarer than the common Reverse of 1971.