1939-S 5c Reverse of 1938 MS FS

Two varieties exist, the Reverse of 1938, comprising slightly over half of the production. The luster is very good, and 5 and 6 Full Steps coins can be found, but, of course, the steps, while complete, are not sharp. The rest are with the Reverse of 1940, which should be sharp, but in this case are often unsatisfactory. The luster is frequently sub-par and details are lacking on the steps. The FS denotes that the striking detail on the steps of the Jefferson memorial building are clearly defined.

Obverse Description

Felix Schlag's portrait of Jefferson, facing left, with the motto IN GOD WE TRUST on the left periphery, and LIBERTY * [year] on the right side.

Reverse Description

The Jefferson home is prominently centered with the name MONTICELLO captioned below. The denomination FIVE CENTS is spelled out in half circle underneath and the words E PLURIBUS UNUM and UNITED STATES OF AMERICA appear at the top and bottom periphery. The mintmark is positioned on the right side of Monticello.

Source: Q.David Bowers