The Nickel for 50

[Bobbi]

Tonight 50 years ago, CBS aired "The $100,000 Nickel" – S06E14.

Everyone is chasing an elusive 1913 nickel worth $100,000. A convention in Honolulu is showing it off and it arrives under a police escort!

International criminal Eric Damien (Victor Buono) wants it swapped with a counterfeit made by local engraver named Andecker. Damien gets his slimy paws on it through his hit man Anthony (James Grahlmann) when he kills Andecker at a meet.

Damien isn't done as he has the perfect person to pull off the feat. Arnie Price (Eugene Trobbnick) is a carny sleight-of-hand artist. His wife Millie (Hildy Brooks) wants out of the carny life and Arnie sees this as the perfect opportunity to do so. Damien offers to pay Arnie $10,000 to make the swap.

What ensues is "chase the nickel" throughout town. Arnie and Millie wind up with it and pass it onto to Damien, who then makes a run for it.

Before the break though, Damien tries to blow everyone up in the Lincoln Continental they've all been riding in. Damien gets out before/during a chase that puts the car into the ocean.

Damien, of course, is caught by our favorite State Police. Duh.

Mr. Mike's review is so much better. https://www.fiveohomepage.com/5-0log6.htm#134

I like this episode but again, not one of my favorites. It's enjoyable and I find myself rooting for Arnie and Millie even after the newspaper guy is shot because the guy wasn't killed and the pair aren't malicious. Damien, on the other hand, can rot in hell for all I care.

As I'm writing this, it occurs to me that Andecker used a 1903 nickel to forge the counterfeit 1913 nickel. I find myself wondering if that isn't a step backwards. Wouldn't the 1903 be more valuable? I realize there's only five 1913s in existence, but I would think the 1903 would be even more rare due to age. But that's me.

Happy 50th, "The $100,000 Nickel"!!

[John Chergi]

Season 6 The $100,000 Nickel 3 Stars ⭐⭐⭐ Out Of 4 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐.
Another solid Season 6 🌊 episode. Arnie is approached and hired by International Criminal Eric Damien to switch a 1903 nickel made to look like a rare 1913 nickel. An expert engraver Andecker has switched the 1903 year to 1913 with his incredible skill. Damien's hit man Anthony murders Andecker gaining position of the nickel. He passes it along to Damien who later passes it to Arnie for the switch. Despite good security and an alarm, Arnie is able to switch the fake 1913 nickel with the rare and expensive 1913 $100,000 nickel. Millie his wife is also helpful distracting the man keeping close watch over the nickel. It's only a moment distraction but enough time to make the switch. Arnie has to think quickly when the alarm is triggered as he escapes with the $100,000 nickel. He places it into a newspaper type coin box and then waits for the worker to collect the change. Arnie follows the man for awhile before making his move. In the struggle, the nickel coins and other change is scattered over the street. Arnie makes a quick look for the nickel but can't stand around as the worker was shot in the struggle. Arnie is depressed not being able to find the nickel. He receives good fortune receiving the lost $100,000 nickel back in change from an old gentleman who purchased some things. Damien receives the nickel from Arnie and can't have anyone linked to him. Damien tries to blow up the car after exiting but Arnie & Millie were able to get out before it explodes. Damien is then apprehended later before he can escape. Agree with Bobbi! I like this episode and it is enjoyable. It has some more comedic moments than some Classic HFO 🌊 moments. Arnie trying to find the $100,000 nickel with all the coins scattered on the street, Damien's mannerisms, unique voice and excessive weight (Think Cannon), and Millie distracting the man looking after the $100,000 nickel...It all brings a little humor to the episode. Damien could have been an effective Wo Fat type character brought back for several episodes but he's apprehended. Solid acting in the episode. JC

[epaddon]

Age doesn't determine a coin's value. I used to be a coin collector when I was young and the case of the 1913 Liberty nickel is that an employee of the mint had made five unauthorized 1913 Liberty nickels which that year was being replaced by the new Indian head/Buffalo nickel design after 30 years. The mint never intended to make any 1913 nickels with the old discontinued Liberty design but even though they were apparently unauthorized, they were legitimately struck at the mint and were legal tender which is why they became legitimately valuable.

Obviously when hundreds of thousands of a particular coin exist it's not going to be that valuable regardless of its age as opposed to something where only five were made to begin with.

Interestingly, a 1913 Liberty nickel also figured in the plot of an 1978 episode of "The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries" called "The Mystery Of The Avalanche Express". TV writers knew it was a great device to fall back on for storytelling!