Design and Specifications of the Jefferson Nickel

The Jefferson Nickel was introduced in 1938 to replace the Buffalo Nickel. It was designed to honor the third U.S. President, Thomas Jefferson, and has been in continuous production since its inception, with only minor modifications over the years.
Weight 5 grams
Diameter 21.2 mm
Mint Marks P (Philadelphia), D (Denver), S (San Francisco)
Composition 75% copper, 25% nickel (except 1942-1945 wartime nickels)
Obverse Design Left-facing profile of Thomas Jefferson, designed by Felix Schlag
Reverse Design Monticello (Jefferson's home), designed by Felix Schlag
Years of Minting 1938 to Date

Collectibility and Rare Varieties

The condition of Jefferson Nickels significantly impacts their value, with uncirculated specimens commanding higher premiums. Some notable errors, such as the 1943/2-P overdate and various doubled die varieties, can greatly increase a coin’s rarity and value. Full Steps examples, where the steps of Monticello are fully visible, are highly sought after by collectors.
1939-D 3,514,000 minted; one of the key dates in the series
1950-D 2,630,030 minted; lowest mintage of regular issue Jefferson Nickels
1942-1945 War Nickels Composition changed to 56% copper, 35% silver, 9% manganese due to wartime nickel shortages
2004-2005 Westward Journey Series Featured special reverse designs commemorating the Lewis and Clark expedition

Explore Jefferson Nickel Values by Year

1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Most Valuable Jefferson Nickel

This section highlights the most valuable coins in the series, based on PCGS price guides. The table shows price ranges for each coin in various conditions.

Coin Name Circulated Price Uncirculated Price
1964 Nickel (Regular Strike) $10.00 –
2005-D Nickel Speared Bison (Regular Strike) $3.00 – $95.00 –
1961-D Nickel (Regular Strike) $10.00 –
1965 Nickel (Regular Strike) – $1.00 – $2,000.00
1943-S Nickel, FS (Regular Strike) – $8.00 – $9,500.00
1946 Nickel, FS (Regular Strike) – $10.00 – $6,000.00
1964 Nickel SMS (Special Strike) – $2,000.00 – $23,500.00
1964-D Nickel, FS (Regular Strike) – $20.00 – $1,350.00
1970-S Nickel, FS (Regular Strike) – $32.00 – $3,850.00
1962-D Nickel (Regular Strike) $10.00 –
2005-P Nickel Bison (Regular Strike) $1.00 –
1954-S Nickel, FS (Regular Strike) – $75.00 – $40,000.00
1944-P Nickel (Regular Strike) $3.00 – $6.00 –
1943-P Nickel (Regular Strike) $1.00 – $3.00 –
1941 Nickel, FS (Regular Strike) – $6.00 – $12,000.00
1940-D Nickel, FS (Regular Strike) – $3.00 – $11,000.00
1945-S Nickel (Regular Strike) $1.00 – $3.00 –
1968-S Nickel (Regular Strike) – $1.00 – $1,500.00
1969-S Nickel (Regular Strike) – $1.00 – $3,850.00
1942 Nickel Type 1 (Regular Strike) $1.00 – $6.00 –
1960-D Nickel (Regular Strike) $10.00 –
1959-D Nickel (Regular Strike) $10.00 –
1976-D Nickel (Regular Strike) – $1.00 – $175.00
1950-D Nickel (Regular Strike) $3.00 – $8.00 –
1941-S Nickel (Regular Strike) $1.00 – $3.00 –
1943-D Nickel (Regular Strike) $1.00 – $3.00 –
1967 Nickel (Regular Strike) – $1.00 – $3,500.00
1942-P Nickel Type 2 (Regular Strike) $1.00 – $3.00 –
1964 Nickel SMS, FS (Special Strike) – $6,750.00 – $31,500.00
1941-D Nickel (Regular Strike) $1.00 – $3.00 –
1954-D Nickel (Regular Strike) $10.00 –
1983-D Nickel, FS (Regular Strike) – $22.00 – $7,500.00
1949-D/S Nickel (Regular Strike) $32.00 – $140.00 –
1972-D Nickel (Regular Strike) – $1.00 – $24.00
1945-P Nickel (Regular Strike) $3.00 – $6.00 –
1939 Nickel Doubled Monticello (Regular Strike) $8.00 – $390.00 –
1971-D Nickel (Regular Strike) – $1.00 – $80.00
1964-D/D Nickel RPM FS-501 (Regular Strike) $5.00 – $90.00 –
1997-P Nickel SMS, FS (Special Strike) – $40.00 – $500.00
1985-D Nickel, FS (Regular Strike) – $3.00 – $2,500.00
1970-S Nickel (Regular Strike) – $1.00 – $725.00
1963 Nickel (Regular Strike) $10.00 –
1981-P Nickel, FS (Regular Strike) – $18.00 – $5,000.00
1957-D Nickel, FS (Regular Strike) – $5.00 – $15,000.00
1999-P Nickel (Regular Strike) – $1.00 – $50.00
1947-D Nickel (Regular Strike) $1.00 –
1968-D Nickel (Regular Strike) – $1.00 – $700.00
2004-P Nickel Peace Medal (Regular Strike) $1.00 –
1980-D Nickel (Regular Strike) – $1.00 – $42.00
1998-P Nickel (Regular Strike) – $1.00 – $215.00
1984-P Nickel (Regular Strike) – $1.00 – $400.00
1942-D/D Nickel D/Horizontal D (Regular Strike) $20.00 – $900.00 –
1966 Nickel, FS (Regular Strike) – $1,000.00 – $40,000.00
1977 Nickel (Regular Strike) – $1.00 – $45.00
1968-S Nickel, FS (Regular Strike) – $80.00 – $4,600.00
1963-D Nickel, FS (Regular Strike) – $150.00 – $7,500.00
1943-S Nickel (Regular Strike) $1.00 – $6.00 –
1941-S Nickel, FS (Regular Strike) – $10.00 – $3,500.00
1945-D Nickel, FS (Regular Strike) – $8.00 – $20,000.00
1986-D Nickel (Regular Strike) – $1.00 – $32.00
1956-D Nickel (Regular Strike) $10.00 –
1988-D Nickel, FS (Regular Strike) – $2.00 – $3,500.00
1938 Nickel (Regular Strike) $1.00 – $10.00 –
1943/2-P Nickel, FS (Regular Strike) – $325.00 – $12,000.00
1989-P Nickel, FS (Regular Strike) – $2.00 – $5,500.00
2000-D Nickel, FS (Regular Strike) – $2.00 – $450.00
1994-P Nickel SMS, FS (Special Strike) – $24.00 – $575.00
1970-D Nickel (Regular Strike) – $1.00 – $450.00
1983-P Nickel (Regular Strike) $1.00 –
1942-S Nickel (Regular Strike) $3.00 – $6.00 –
1951-S Nickel, FS (Regular Strike) – $20.00 – $7,250.00
1940-S Nickel (Regular Strike) $1.00 – $2.00 –
1953-D Nickel (Regular Strike) $10.00 –
1938-D Nickel Jefferson (Regular Strike) $2.00 – $6.00 –
1946-D Nickel (Regular Strike) $1.00 –
1964 Nickel (Proof) – $4.00 – $600.00
1995-D Nickel, FS (Regular Strike) – $2.00 – $1,350.00
1970-D Nickel, FS (Regular Strike) – $250.00 – $10,500.00
1969-S Nickel (Proof) $1.00 –
1952 Nickel (Regular Strike) $1.00 –
1987-D Nickel (Regular Strike) – $1.00 – $36.00
1947 Nickel (Regular Strike) $1.00 –
1999-D Nickel, FS (Regular Strike) – $2.00 – $725.00
1969-D Nickel (Regular Strike) – $1.00 – $120.00
1988-P Nickel (Regular Strike) – $1.00 – $60.00
1989-D Nickel (Regular Strike) – $1.00 – $160.00
2002-P Nickel (Regular Strike) – $1.00 – $40.00
1985-P Nickel, FS (Regular Strike) – $2.00 – $11,500.00
1961-D Nickel, FS (Regular Strike) – $150.00 – $20,000.00
1971 Nickel No S, DCAM (Proof) – $950.00 – $4,500.00
1954-S/D Nickel (Regular Strike) $7.00 – $24.00 –
1964-D Nickel (Regular Strike) $10.00 –
1958-D Nickel (Regular Strike) $10.00 –
1960 Nickel (Regular Strike) $10.00 –
1977-D Nickel, FS (Regular Strike) – $2.00 – $8,000.00
1987-P Nickel (Regular Strike) – $1.00 – $140.00
1990-P Nickel (Regular Strike) – $1.00 – $30.00
2005-D Nickel Bison (Regular Strike) – $4.00 – $175.00
1943-P Nickel Doubled Die Obverse (Regular Strike) $10.00 – $145.00 –
1955 Nickel (Regular Strike) $10.00 –
1947-S Nickel, FS (Regular Strike) – $2.00 – $4,750.00
1948 Nickel (Regular Strike) $1.00 –
1992-P Nickel, FS (Regular Strike) – $2.00 – $1,500.00
2006-P Nickel Monticello (Regular Strike) – $3.00 – $12.00
2004-D Nickel Keel Boat (Regular Strike) $1.00 –
1978-D Nickel (Regular Strike) – $1.00 – $30.00
1980-P Nickel (Regular Strike) – $1.00 – $45.00
1955-D Nickel (Regular Strike) $10.00 –
2018-P Nickel, FS (Regular Strike) – $4.00 – $125.00
2004-D Nickel Peace Medal (Regular Strike) $1.00 –
1939-D Nickel Reverse of 1938 (Regular Strike) $1.00 – $42.00 –
1978 Nickel, FS (Regular Strike) – $2.00 – $10,000.00
1958 Nickel (Regular Strike) $10.00 –
1956 Nickel, FS (Regular Strike) – $8.00 – $4,250.00
1974 Nickel, FS (Regular Strike) – $2.00 – $4,500.00
1966 Nickel (Regular Strike) – $1.00 – $2,500.00
2000-P Nickel (Regular Strike) – $1.00 – $100.00
1991-D Nickel, FS (Regular Strike) – $2.00 – $3,000.00
1938-S Nickel (Regular Strike) $1.00 – $5.00 –
1958 Nickel, FS (Regular Strike) – $14.00 – $13,500.00
1963 Nickel, DCAM (Proof) – $8.00 – $15,000.00
1940-D Nickel (Regular Strike) $10.00 –
1955-D/S Nickel (Regular Strike) $5.00 – $36.00 –
1945-P Nickel Doubled Die Reverse (Regular Strike) $20.00 – $90.00 –
1944-S Nickel, FS (Regular Strike) – $10.00 – $18,000.00
1993-P Nickel (Regular Strike) – $1.00 – $30.00
1997-P Nickel, FS (Regular Strike) – $2.00 – $800.00
2015-D Nickel, FS (Regular Strike) – $1.00 – $475.00
1996-P Nickel, FS (Regular Strike) – $2.00 – $2,700.00
1982-D Nickel (Regular Strike) – $3.00 – $200.00
1944-D Nickel (Regular Strike) $1.00 – $3.00 –
1942-P Nickel Type 2 (Proof) $28.00 – $40.00 –
1953-S Nickel, FS (Regular Strike) – $200.00 – $23,000.00
1962-D Nickel, FS (Regular Strike) – $20.00 – $4,250.00
1986-P Nickel, FS (Regular Strike) – $2.00 – $4,500.00
1945-S Nickel, FS (Regular Strike) – $16.00 – $8,500.00
1975-D Nickel, FS (Regular Strike) – $2.00 – $275.00
1996-D Nickel, FS (Regular Strike) – $2.00 – $950.00
1948-D Nickel (Regular Strike) $1.00 – $2.00 –
1963-D Nickel (Regular Strike) $10.00 –
1945-D Nickel (Regular Strike) $1.00 – $3.00 –
1946-S Nickel, FS (Regular Strike) – $15.00 – $7,500.00

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Chris McPherson is a lifelong collector turned shop owner who opened ChrisMcPherson's Souvenir Shop in 2005. With over 20 years as a professional antique dealer and appraiser, Chris expertly curates a selection of the most unique political, pop culture, and historic collectibles available. His passion is hunting one-of-a-kind artifacts and sharing the fascinating stories behind them. Chris graduated with a BA in American History, informing his specialty in political memorabilia. As a seasoned antique hunter, Chris utilizes his skills to deliver an ever-changing inventory of must-see relics and conversation pieces to his shop.

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