Did you know all 1955 nickels are worth more than face value?
These old nickels can be highly valuable, and they’re relatively scarce in circulation these days!
But just how rare and valuable are 1955 nickels?
All 1955 Nickel Values
The 1955 Jefferson nickels are among the scarcer Jefferson nickels — which have been made for circulation since 1938.
Here are the current values and unique features you should be looking for on your 1955 nickels…
1955 No Mintmark Nickel Value
The 1955 Jefferson nickel with no mintmark from the Philadelphia Mint is the scarcer of the two regular-issue circulating nickels struck that year by the United States Mint. Only 7,888,000 were made, with far fewer surviving today.
In average circulated condition, a 1955 nickel with no mint mark is worth 25 cents to 50 cents. Most uncirculated specimens are worth $1 to $2.
The record price for a 1955 no mintmark nickel is $12,650 — which is the amount paid in 2007 for a specimen graded MS66 Full Steps by Professional Coin Grading Service.
1955-D Nickel Value
The Denver Mint struck the most 1955 nickels — with 74,464,100 specimens struck. These bear the “D” mintmark on the reverse (back side) of the coin, just to the right of the Monticello building, by the rim.
More common than its Philadelphia-minted counterpart without a mintmark, the 1955-D nickel turns up a little more frequently in pocket change. Still, it’s becoming a scarce coin.
The 1955-D nickel is worth 10 to 25 cents in circulated grades and 75 cents to $1.50 in typical uncirculated grades.
The most valuable 1955-D nickel set a collector back $9,693.75 when the coin exchanged hands in 2019. This specimen was graded MS66 Full Steps by Professional Coin Grading Service.
1955 Proof Nickel Value
The U. S. Mint made a limited number of high-quality 1955 nickels just for coin collectors. These 1955 proof nickels, made with specially prepared dies and polished coin blanks, numbered 378,200 pieces.
These coins are considerably scarce. They were sold as part of the 1955 proof set — which also includes proof versions of the Lincoln cent, Roosevelt dime, Washington quarter, and Franklin half dollar.
Most 1955 nickels are worth $15 to $20, with the record price of $4,025 claimed by a specimen graded PF69 by Numismatic Guaranty Corporation.
IMPORTANT: What Is The Grade Of Your 1955 Nickel?
To determine the true value of your 1955 Jefferson nickel, you first need to know what condition (or grade) your coin is in.
Grab a coin magnifier and a copy of the U.S. Coin Grading Standards book. Then, watch this video to see how to grade coins yourself at home:
These are the best coin grading apps that make grading coins yourself much easier.
A List Of Rare 1955 Nickel Errors
There are several rare and valuable 1955 nickel errors and varieties, including some that are worth a pretty penny!
Let’s look at a few of the most important 1955 nickel errors and their values…
1955-D Over S Nickel Error
One of the scarcest and most valuable Jefferson nickel error varieties is the 1955-D Over S, which shows the “D” mintmark over an “S” mintmark.
The “S” represents the San Francisco Mint — which didn’t strike 1955 nickels!
The top of the “S” mint mark is seen peeking above the top of the “D” mint mark with the unaided eye — so this variety should be evident to anyone who pays close attention to their coins.
Circulated specimens are worth $20 to $30. Uncirculated pieces typically retail for anywhere from $35 to $100. The most valuable 1955-D over S nickel was graded MS66 by Professional Coin Grading Service and fetched $3,738 in a 2008 auction.
1955 Doubled Die Nickel Error
Many coin collectors are keenly aware of (and constantly on the hunt for) doubled die coins.
While there are no significantly valuable 1955 doubled die nickels currently known to exist, there is always the possibility that you might find an obscure 1955 doubled die nickel worth good money!
Most of the 1955 doubled die nickel errors are attributed by:
- Doubling in Jefferson’s eye on the obverse (front side) of the coin; and/or
- Doubling in the lettering and inscriptions on the reverse — including “MONTICELLO” and “FIVE CENTS.”
Most minor Jefferson nickel doubled die errors tend to be worth between $20 and $50, depending on the location and magnitude of the doubled die and also the coin’s condition.
1955 Off-Center Nickel Error
Among the more common types of errors are off-center errors.
These occur when a coin isn’t properly centered between the dies, or the dies themselves are misaligned from their correct positions.
The vast majority of off-center errors are less than 5% off-center, and these pieces — while legitimate errors — aren’t necessarily worth very much money. However, off-center coins are pretty cool, regardless of how minor or major the error!
Any 1955 nickel errors that are 10% to 20% off-center tend to be worth more — $10 to $50. The most valuable types of 1955 off-center nickel errors are those that are missing about 50% of their design yet show a complete date and, when applicable, a mintmark.
1955 Missing Letters Nickel Error
Oftentimes, coins are missing important design elements due to strikethrough errors — which happen when the die or the coin itself has foreign material on it.
When the coin is struck, the affected part of the design isn’t properly struck up, thus this area of the coin will be missing its design and lettering (or perhaps show only faint hints of it).
Strikethrough errors can be worth significant sums of money — depending on how drastic the error is. For example:
- A single missing letter or two might be worth only $1 to $2 extra bucks to a coin collector who specializes in such oddities.
- Whereas, errors showing entire regions of the coin missing its design or only light, ghostlike remnants of it can bring $50 or more.
- Some strikethrough errors actually reveal textures that suggest what that particular piece of foreign material was. As a result, these can command hundreds of dollars!
1955 Die Crack / Die Break Nickel Error
When a coin die ages, it sometimes exhibits wear and tear by way of cracks and breaks — which transfer onto the finished coin as raised lines, squiggles, and bumps.
Minor die cracks are relatively common and can often be spotted hiding among lettering or other design elements. Larger die breaks are much scarcer and, depending on their size and location, can be worth tens… even hundreds of dollars.
A small die crack on a 1955 nickel might bring $3 to $10, while much larger die cracks on 1955 nickels can be worth $20 or $30 — even more.
One of the most difficult types of die breaks to find is known as a die cud. It is usually seen as a broad, flattish hunk of metal connected to the rim of the coin. A 1955 nickel with a die cud can be worth $100 to $250 — or even higher amounts, depending on the size and appearance of the die cud.
READ NEXT: A List Of All U.S. Coins Worth More Than Face Value
I’m the Coin Editor here at TheFunTimesGuide. My love for coins began when I was 11 years old. I primarily collect and study U.S. coins produced during the 20th century. I’m a member of the American Numismatic Association (ANA) and the Numismatic Literary Guild (NLG) and have won multiple awards from the NLG for my work as a coin journalist. I’m also the editor at the Florida United Numismatists Club (FUN Topics magazine), and author of Images of America: The United States Mint in Philadelphia (a book that explores the colorful history of the Philadelphia Mint). I’ve contributed hundreds of articles for various coin publications including COINage, The Numismatist, Numismatic News, Coin Dealer Newsletter, Coin Values, and CoinWeek. I’ve authored nearly 1,000 articles here at The Fun Times Guide to Coins (many of them with over 50K shares), and I welcome your coin questions in the comments below!
