A List Of All 1987 nickels Worth more than face value

1987 Nickel Value Today

Curious about 1987 nickel values?

I was, too. I have lots of 1987 nickels and wanted to know if they’re worth keeping or best for spending at face value.

When I find 1987 nickels, I become a little nostalgic. They were among the first coins I remember thinking were “new.” I was about 6 years old when 1987 coins were being struck. I had just learned to count money, and my parents gave me coins to tally up and save. I loved looking at the dates of the coins and I recall how much I especially loved looking at bright and shiny new coins, like the 1987 nickels that were passing through my hands.

So, are these now old 1987 nickels worth anything more than face value?

Well… That depends!

In this article, you will learn:

• Which 1987 nickels to save and not spend
• Which 1987 nickels are rare
• Which 1987 are the most valuable
• The value of all 1987 nickels individually

Are 1987 Nickels Unique In Any Way?

You might look at a 1987 nickel and wonder if there’s anything about it that might make it special.

Most 1987 nickels look pretty ordinary. In fact, the design of the 1987 nickel looks almost identical to the first Jefferson nickels that were struck in 1938. It was originally designed by Felix Schlag.

The 1987 Jefferson nickel features Schlag’s design of Thomas Jefferson on the head’s side (obverse) of the nickel. A motif of Jefferson’s Virginia home, Monticello, is found on the tail’s side (reverse). Schlag’s initials, FS, appear under the bust of Jefferson.

So, if the design isn’t really any different on the 1987 nickel, is there anything else that makes these old nickels valuable?

Is The 1987 Nickel Rare?

I’m afraid not — at least not in the absolute sense.

In fact, a total of 786,317,813 nickels were struck by 3 United States Mint facilities: Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco.

Of the nearly one billion (with a B) nickels struck in 1987, the vast majority were made at the Philadelphia and Denver Mints and were released into circulation. There were 371,499,481 nickels made in Philadelphia, and 410,590,604 were made in Denver.

You can tell the 1987 nickels made at the Philadelphia Mint versus those from Denver by looking for a little mintmark just under the date. The 1987 nickels from the Philadelphia Mint bear a “P” mint letter, while the Denver strikes show a “D” mintmark.

What about the San Francisco strikes?

Those carry a little “S” mintmark under the 1987 date. All 4,227,728 examples of the 1987-S nickel were struck for coin collectors. These were sold to the public in 1987 proof sets. Sometimes you can find a 1987-S nickel in circulation — because some of these special proof coins have been broken out of their mint packaging and spent as regular money.

With so many 1987 nickels it might be hard to imagine that they could be rare, or even just uncommon in any sense. But, guess what? There actually are some rare and valuable 1987 nickels out there!

The thing that would make a 1987 nickel rare and worth money would be its condition, the quality of the strike details on the coin, and the presence of any errors and varieties.

Let’s talk more about these things…

A List Of Valuable 1987 Nickels To Look For

You’re probably wondering if any of the 1987 nickels in your pocket change are worth anything.

The short answer is: If they show any signs of wear or damage, then they’re worth just their face value of 5 cents.

So, which 1987 nickels are valuable?

These are the 1987 nickels worth the most money today…

Uncirculated 1987 Nickel Value

If you can find any 1987 nickels without any signs of wear, even on the high points of the coin (like Jefferson’s cheek or the triangular roof area on Monticello), hold it aside. Any 1987 nickels that are uncirculated — those that look like they were just made yesterday — are worth at least 10 to 20 cents each.

Proof 1987 Nickel Value

As mentioned above, all 1987-S nickels are proof nickels. Most of the 1987-S nickels out there today are worth $2 to $3 apiece. If you’re having trouble finding one, you could buy a 1987-S proof nickel from a coin dealer. You could also try looking for one in rolls of nickels you can get for face value from the bank (see my video below).

Full Steps 1987 Nickel Value

Full Steps Jefferson nickels are those that show 5 or 6 complete steps near the base of Monticello. For you to have a true Full Steps nickel, it must be uncirculated and needs to show at least 5 unbroken steps with complete lines from side to side of the stairwell. Values vary for these. Most 1987 nickels in average uncirculated grades and Full Steps details are worth $10 to $20. Specimens in pristine levels of Mint State grades can go for hundreds or even thousands of dollars, as I’ll explain further in a few moments.

1987 Error Nickel Value

Some of the rarest 1987 nickels are those with some kind of error or variety. There are too many different kinds for me to list here. The key thing to remember is that most of the odd-looking coins you find really are not errors, but rather just pieces that are showing post-mint damage. That said, some of the 1987 error nickels you’re most likely to encounter are off-center strikes and broadstrikes — they’re worth anywhere from $15 to $25 apiece.

The Most Valuable 1987 Nickels

I’ve been talking about 1987 nickels worth hundreds and thousands of dollars, and you’re probably wondering when I’d finally share which coins these are…

The wait is over! Here’s the list of the most valuable and rare 1987 nickels:

• Most valuable 1987-P nickel — Certified Mint State-68 Full Steps by Numismatic Guaranty Company and sold for $1,800 in a 2021 auction.
• Most valuable 1987-D nickel — Graded Mint State-67 Full Steps by Professional Coin Grading Service and fetched $2,291.25 in a 2013 auction.
• Most valuable 1987-S nickel — Impeccable Proof-70 Deep Cameo specimen encapsulated by Professional Coin Grading Service and garnered $3,220 in a 2007 auction.
• Most valuable 1987 error nickel — Struck on clad stock error and sold for $1,754 in a 2010 sale.

Do you have a 1987 nickel? Think there may be something unique about it? Post a picture of your coin in the comments below and I’ll try to help!