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1975-D Jefferson Nickels are conditionally scarce to rare with a Full Steps designation. Click image to enlarge.

Ask any Jefferson Nickel enthusiast what the toughest challenge is for them in assembling sets of their favorite five-cent coin, and they may tell you it all comes down to finding examples with Full Steps. Locating high-quality Jefferson Nickels can indeed be a challenge, especially when the surfaces of so many are hampered by nicks, dings, scratches, and other imperfections, not to mention epidemic mushiness and other strike-quality issues that frequently leave much to be desired when it comes to overall quality. This is so often the case with nickels from the late 1960s through the 1970s, and the 1975-D Jefferson Nickel is one of the most difficult issues of the period for landing a Full Steps strike.

“The 1975-D Jefferson Nickel is one of the three toughest 1970s Denver Mint nickels to find with Full Steps,” writes PCGS Manager of Numismatic Research and Programs Charles Morgan for the 1975-D nickel page on PCGS CoinFacts. “The 1975-D is significantly easier to locate than the 1970-D, but still ranks as the third-toughest D-Mint of the 1970s to find in Full Steps,” Morgan continues.

What does Full Steps even mean? This grading nomenclature refers to a grade designation that PCGS awards certain Jefferson Nickels graded MS60 or better. “PCGS applies the FS designation when at least five complete steps are clearly visible. Any nickel with steps that appear joined or fused together, whether struck that way or from subsequent damage, will not qualify as Full Steps.”

Of a mintage boasting 401,875,300 strikes, the 1975-D Jefferson Nickel has seen relatively few examples earn a Full Steps designation from PCGS. As of this writing, PCGS has graded around 370 specimens of this coin with an FS designation across all Mint State grades, with the plurality grading in the range of MS64 to MS66. The highest grade achieved by a 1975-D Jefferson Nickel with Full Steps is MS67FS, a beautiful grade to be sure but one that has seen only three examples attain. Talk about a conditional rarity!