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1965 SMS
| Weight | 5 g |
| Diameter | 21.21 mm |
| Mint | Philadelphia |
| Strike | NIFC (Not Intended for Circulation) |
| Mintage | 2,360,000 |
| Edge | Plain |
| Alignment | ↑↓ Coin |
| Composition | 75% Copper, 25% Nickel |
| Melt value | — |
| Designer | Felix Schlag |
| Collector's Key ID | CK-1444 |
Collection
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No additional varieties recorded for this strike.
External references
The 1965 SMS (Special Mint Set) Jefferson nickel was produced as part of the Treasury's replacement program for traditional proof sets during the coin shortage. The SMS coins were struck with special care on polished planchets, producing a satin-like finish that distinguished them from ordinary circulation strikes without achieving the full mirror quality of traditional proofs. The Mint sold SMS sets at premium prices to collectors who would otherwise have purchased proof sets.
The 1965 SMS nickel is common within the SMS category but is distinct from ordinary 1965 circulation strikes in both production method and collector treatment. The coin is available in all SMS grades and accessible through specialist channels at modest premiums over circulation-strike pricing. Cameo designation is rare on SMS coins (which lack deep mirror fields) but is occasionally encountered on particularly well-preserved examples.
The SMS program represented the Treasury's attempt to maintain some form of collector-oriented coin production during the years when traditional proofs were suspended. The format was generally considered inferior to actual proofs by most collectors, and when proof production resumed in 1968 (at San Francisco), SMS sets were discontinued. The 1965-1967 SMS sub-series is a distinctive three-year interlude in Jefferson nickel collecting.
Reference data only — not an appraisal.
| Grade | Description | Low | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| G-4 | Good (G) | — | — |
| VG-8 | Very Good (VG) | — | — |
| F-12 | Fine (F) | — | — |
| VF-20 | Very Fine (VF) | — | — |
| EF-40 | Extremely Fine (EF) | — | — |
| AU-50 | About Uncirculated (AU) | — | — |
| MS-60 | Uncirculated (MS) | — | — |
| MS-63 | Choice Uncirculated (MS) | — | — |
How many 1965 SMS Jefferson Nickels were minted?
What is a 1965 SMS Jefferson Nickel made of?
What is the melt value of a 1965 SMS Jefferson Nickel?
Is the 1965 SMS Jefferson Nickel a key date?
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