Find Out How Much Your Old 1996 Jefferson Nickels Are Worth Today

1996 Nickel Value Guide

I recently came across an old 1996 nickel in my pocket change, and I just had to check it out and see if it was one of the old nickels worth money.

The thing about searching your pocket change for old coins worth money is you have to know what to look for and what you can just pass up.

And when it comes to the 1996 nickel value, I’m looking for a few specific things that will make or break the value of the coin.

Are 1996 Nickels Rare?

No, not categorically.

In fact, more than 1.6 billion (that’s billion, with a “B“) nickels were struck by the United States Mint in 1996.

Breaking this down by each mint facility that made them, we see the following mintage figures:

• 1996-P nickels (Philadelphia Mint) — 829,332,000
• 1996-D nickels (Denver Mint) — 817,736,000
• 1996-S nickels (San Francisco Mint) — 2,525,265

While these mintage figures are all well into the millions, or billions, there are actually some 1996 nickels that are rare on the basis of their exceptional condition or the presence of errors and varieties. (More on that below.)

How Do I Know If My 1996 Nickel Is Valuable?

If you had a bunch of 1996 nickels in front of you, it might be hard to know just from glancing at them which are the ones worth keeping and which ones you can safely spend.

But there are some tell-tale ways to determine if your 1996 nickel is valuable…

First, check to see if it appears worn at all. You’ll need to check carefully, because even light hints of rub are considered wear. A worn 1996 nickel is worth only its face value.

However, uncirculated 1996 nickels with no signs of wear and that appear to have just left the mint are worth more than face value.

One thing that can make uncirculated Jefferson nickels worth the big money is if they show signs of being a Full Steps nickel.

What is a Full Steps nickel?

Well, if you flip over your 1996 nickel to its back (or reverse), you should see the Monticello building. Toward the bottom center of Monticello you’ll see a little row of steps leading up to the portico and front door of the building. If each of those 5 or 6 steps is fully delineated, line for line, without any marks, scratches, or other interruptions, you could have a Full Steps nickel worth money!

The key is that for a Jefferson nickel to receive a Full Steps designation, it absolutely MUST be uncirculated — no signs of wear from having been used as money.

So even that “perfect looking” 1996 nickel you pulled from pocket change… Yeah, it probably doesn’t qualify for the Full Steps designation. If you can see any wear or rub — even on just the highest points of the design, like Jefferson’s cheek or the pediment (triangular roof element) of Monticello — then it doesn’t meet the qualifications.

How Much Can I Sell A 1996 Nickel For Today?

Circulated 1996 nickels showing signs of wear are worth only face value of 5 cents and are absolutely safe to spend as regular money.

However, uncirculated specimens (that have never been spent as money) or those from proof sets (which were made for collectors) are worth more than face value.

Uncirculated 1996-P nickels and 1996-D nickels are worth a minimum of 15 to 20 cents apiece. However, specimens that are devoid of scratches, nicks, and other imperfections are worth a whole lot more than that! Values for especially nice 1996 uncirculated nickels range from $50 to $100.

Examples of 1996-P and 1996-D nickels with Full Steps details are worth at least $5 to $10.

Proof 1996-S nickels have a value of $2 to $5.

If you want to sell your 1996 nickels, I suggest taking them to your local coin dealer.

You might also consider listing them on an online auction website.

Or you could just hang onto your valuable 1996 nickels with the hopes they might be worth even more someday!

What Are The Most Valuable 1996 Nickels?

Some 1996 nickels have sold for crazy-high numbers. These valuable 1996 nickels are worth some real cash money due to their extraordinary condition.

One of the most valuable 1996-P nickels graded Mint State-67 Full Steps and sold for $360 in a 2021 auction. Also, a 1996-D nickel sold for $282 in a 2017 auction.

But the most valuable 1996 nickel sold at auction was anything but perfect! It’s one of the wildest errors ever seen… a 1996-P Jefferson nickel struck on a dime, resulting in a so-called double denomination. It was graded Mint State-64 and sold for an astounding $5,040 in a 2021 auction!

Why Is A 1996 Nickel Worth So Much?

As we’ve seen, some 1996 nickels are truly valuable. While it’s safe to spend most worn 1996 nickels you find in pocket change, there really are some worth saving.

It generally comes down to condition (or grade) and oddities (or errors). The better the condition of a 1996 nickel, the more it’s typically worth. The same goes for nickels with errors or varieties like off-center strikes, broadstrikes, or doubled dies.

Here’s a video I made showing how to determine the grade of your 1996 nickels:

Do you have a 1996 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!