• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Coin Collecting 101
  • Rare U.S. Coins
  • Coin Myths, Trivia & Facts
  • Fun With Coins
  • Coin Values
  • More
    • Electronics & Gadgets
    • Health & Beauty
    • Hobbies & Crafts
    • Home & Garden
    • Jobs & Money
    • Outdoor Fun
    • Travel

U.S. Coins Guide

Real People. Real Experiences. Real Helpful.

a Fun Times Guide site

Home » Hobbies & Crafts » Coin Values » U.S. Nickels Value: See How Much Jefferson Nickels (1938-Present) Are Worth Today

U.S. Nickels Value: See How Much Jefferson Nickels (1938-Present) Are Worth Today

192 Shares
Pin183
Share9
Tweet

Some articles on this site contain affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to yourself.


Now that we’ve covered the Westward Journey nickels, we might as well cover the rest of the Jefferson nickels — including the ever-popular war nickels.

Here, I will show you how to tell a war nickel from a regular Jefferson nickel.

I’ll talk more about those silver war nickels in just a moment.

Let’s start with a basic rundown on the Jefferson design, which you can find in everyday pocket change.

 

Facts About Old Jefferson Nickels

U.S. nickels are made of a composition consisting of 75% copper and 25% nickel — with the exception of war nickels (which I will get to in a minute).

The Jefferson nickel was designed by Felix Schlag, who won a $1,000 award for his design in a competition of nearly 400 artists.

The first Jefferson nickels were made in 1938, and we are still using these coins today!

 

Old Jefferson Nickels Worth Money

So, if you’ve got old nickels from the 1930s, ’40s, or ’50s, you’re probably wondering what they’re worth.

For starters, some old Jefferson nickels are worth more than face value, including:

  • 1938-D nickel — $1 and up
  • 1938-S nickel — $1.50 and up
  • 1939-D nickel — $7 and up
  • 1939-S nickel — 50 cents and up
  • 1950-D nickel — $10 and up

Other nickels from the ’30s, ’40s, and ’50s are worth anywhere from 10 cents each to $1 or more, depending on the date and condition of the coin.

Worn nickels from the 1960s and later are generally worth face value, unless they exhibit errors or die varieties such as doubled dies.

Are there any other nickels worth substantial money? Yes! You’ll want to look for these valuable nickels:

  • 1939, Doubled MONTICELLO, FIVE CENTS nickel — $70 and up
  • 1942 D, Over Horizontal D nickel — $50 and up
  • 1949-D, D Over S nickel — $100 and up
  • 1954-S, S Over D nickel — $20 and up
  • 1955-D, D Over S nickel — $25 and up
  • 1971-S, No S Proof (Collectors’ Version) nickel — $750 and up
  • 1997-P, Special Uncirculated (Collectors’ Version) nickel — $180 and up

 

Now, About Those War Nickels…

Here’s how to tell a war nickel from a “regular” Jefferson nickel…

All war nickels (which were made from 1942 through 1945) have a large “P,” “D,” or “S” mintmark over the dome of Monticello on the reverse of the coin!

In fact, the 1942 Jefferson war nickel marks the first time the Philadelphia Mint ever used a “P” mintmark on a United States coin.

A U.S. war nickel - notice the large D over the dome of Monticello?

Here’s how much Jefferson war nickels are worth.

 

Are U.S. Nickels Worth Collecting?

If you’re going to collect nickels, a collection of Jefferson nickels can be completed pretty inexpensively by simply buying them from a coin dealer.

You can also find most Jefferson nickels rather easily in your loose change, if you look closely.

A little coin roll searching will help, too!

Here’s a list of Jefferson nickels 1938 to the present.

If you’re hoping to assemble a high-grade set of Jefferson nickels, you’ll need to buy them from a coin dealer. Thankfully for those who want affordable options, even uncirculated and proof Jefferson nickels are still budget-friendly.

As for other types of nickels — such as Buffalo nickels, Liberty Head nickels, or Shield nickels — you’ll definitely need to check with a coin dealer since these coins are rarely ever found in circulation. And you’ll need to pay more for many of those old nickels, too. But that’s an article for another time…

 

More About U.S. Nickels & What They’re Worth

In addition to the links I’ve included above, here are some other resources to help you learn more about your nickels:

  • Got Rare Nickels? The 25 Most Valuable Nickels & What They’re Worth
  • The Scarcest Jefferson Nickels
  • Historical Values Of U.S. Nickels
  • Jefferson Nickels Are Valuable And Worth Collecting
  • Sleepy Jefferson Nickels Might Wake Up
Joshua

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!

192 Shares
Pin183
Share9
Tweet

Filed Under: Coin Values, Hobbies & Crafts Tagged With: 1943 Coins, Budget Coin Collecting, Buffalo Nickels, Nickels, Pocket Change, Silver Coins, U.S. Mint

Primary Sidebar

About Me

JoshuaI'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 CDN Publishing (a trusted source for the price of U.S. rare coins), 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 also 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!

Joshua: View My Blog Posts

Top Searches

1943 Coins America The Beautiful Quarters Bicentennial Coins Books About Coins Budget Coin Collecting Buffalo Nickels Bullion Coins Buying Or Selling Coins Coin Auctions Coin Dealers Coin Folders And Coin Albums Coin Holders & Storage Commemorative Coins Damaged Coins DC And US Territories Quarters Dimes Dollar Coins Eagle Coins eBay Error Coins Gift Ideas Gold Coins Grading Coins Half Dollar Coins Indian Head Pennies Kennedy Coins Kids Collecting Coins Lincoln Cents Mintmarks Mint Sets Nickels Novelty Coins Pennies Pocket Change Presidential Dollars Proof Sets Quarters Rare Coins Sacagawea Dollars Silver Coins State Quarters Type And Date Sets U.S. Mint Walking Liberty Coins Wheat Pennies

Footer

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
Fun Times Guide logo
Shop Our Favorite Items

Copyright © 2004-2021 The Fun Times Guide | Privacy Policy | About | Contact | Sitemap