Aside from these rarities, the Jefferson nickel series is very affordable and accessible. Most of the high prices on this list relate to rare error coins.
There are abundant opportunities for collecting Jefferson nickels. You can combine these three coins with the 19 issues to make a complete set of pre-war proofs. The observation earlier about a much lower original mintage applies. This group includes the earliest proofs in the series. You can consider it a "key date" for collectors. So why is it so valuable? It has the lowest mintage (3,514,000) of any standard-issue within the Jefferson nickel series. 1939-D: $125 in MS65īy contrast to the last entry, the 1939-D nickel is a regular circulation issue. This relative scarcity supports the higher price. getting involved in World War II.Īt auction, they tend to garner similar prices.Īs proofs, only tens of thousands were minted rather than tens of millions. From casual discoveries in collections or wooden boxes in a library to theft from collections, intervention by the Secret Service, World War II, 9/11. The vast majority of these valuable coins have fanciful stories but are real. Usually, their purchase value does not exceed 1,000. Coin buyers treasure them, precisely because they are so common in the everyday purchase and sale transactions of US currency. They were made by the mint prior to the U.S. These are large circulation coins there are many copies, so they are easy to find. 1941-P, 1942-P (each): $100 in PR65Įach of these coins were pre-war proofs. The usual mintmark location was changed beginning in 1968, moving it to the rim of the obverse design. Non-silver nickels put the mintmark to the right of the building. These silver "war nickels" are distinguished by the placement of the mintmark above Monticello on the reverse design.
Other metals had to be rationed as part of the war mobilization. The proof version of the 1942-P Jefferson nickel is distinct from the other early proof coins.ĭuring WWII, nickels were briefly struck from an alloy of 35% silver.