Top 110 Most Valuable Nickels Worth Money (2024)

The US Mint produced numerous nickels, often dedicated to famous and esteemed figures in American history. The first pieces were minted in 1866, most were initially made out of copper and nickel, but their composition changed over time. Their value varies and typically depends on the coin mint mark, date, and condition.

The most pricey nickels are often the oldest ones and those from years with low mintage. However, it is not always the case, and some errors are costly because of scarcity and uniqueness. On the other hand, proofs minted in Philadelphia often have low mintage, making them valuable.

Nickel Series

Five-cents became the first official US coin in 1792, but the US Mint started producing the first nickels in 1866. The list of the US nickels includes:

• Buffalo (Indian head) nickels
• Jefferson nickels
• Liberty V nickels
• Shield nickels

Nickels are not popular among collectors like silver dollars and pennies, so their prices are not high as you would expect for such old coins. Paradoxically, five existing 1913 Liberty nickels are in a group of the top expensive pieces ever appeared on the coin market.

As you can see, it is possible to enjoy this beautiful series without spending an insane amount of money. Luckily, there are enough pricey pieces you can look for to make things interesting. Let’s see.

what year nickels are worth money?

Since the nickel series didn’t have many rare pieces, it was affordable for most collectors, including novices and those with limited budgets. Once you decide to add costly specimens to your collection, you should pay attention to rare coins and errors, including:

1. Shield nickels

While an average coin typically costs about $20, a few will be worth significantly more:

• 1877 and 1878 proofs
• 1879, 1880, and 1881 regular coins
• 1879/8 and 1883/2
• Re-punched 1866

2. Liberty Head nickels

Most of these coins are inexpensive, except for:

• 1885, 1886, and 1912 S regular coins
• 1913 (only five are known to exist)

3. Indian Head (Buffalo) nickels

Most of these nickels are moderately priced, and you should set aside more money only for a few pieces:

• 1913 S Variety 2
• 1914/3 and 1918/7 D
• 1916 DDO and 1935 DDR
• 1942 D over horizontal D
• 1936 D Three and 1/2 legs on Buffalo
• 1937 D Three-legged Buffalo

4. Jefferson nickels

This series didn’t have famous rarities but had a few key dates and errors:

• Full step nickels
• 1938 D, 1939 D, 1950 D, 1938 S, and 1939 S regular coins
• 1949 D/S, 1955 D/S, and 1954 S/D
• 1943/2 P
• 1939 (doubled FIVE CENTS and MONTICELLO)
• 1943 P (doubled eye)
• 1945 DDR
• 1942 S with the 1941 reverse (only one piece is known to exist)

Coin Trackers consider a few other coins as pricey, like:

• 1867 Shield nickel ($3,600)
• 1928 D Buffalo nickel ($3,400)
• 1877 Shield nickel ($1,854)
• 1938 Jefferson nickel ($1,800)
• 1873 Shield nickel ($1,800)

Also Read: 15 Most Valuable Nickels Worth Money

Nickels Auction Records

Even though the Nickel series is pretty inexpensive compared with others, some coins reached incredible sums of money at auctions.

For instance, the King of 20th Century Coins is the best-graded Liberty head nickel minted in 1913 of only five existing. The so-called Olsen specimen was surrounded by numerous controversies and attempts to counterfeit from the very beginning.

The PR 66 graded coin was sold during the Rarities night in 2018 for a record $4,560,000. That price makes this specimen the most valuable nickel ever sold.

You can also find information about the mysterious 1964 Jefferson mirror brockage on reverse. This two-headed coin is actually an error with a mirror coin image struck on each side. Appearing two head sides makes it unique, and one collector paid an impressive $1,150,000 for it on eBay.

Summary

After many years of minting gold and silver coins, the US Mint started to use a nickel alloy to produce five-cent nickels in 1866. The mintage of four existing types varied over time, directly affecting these coins’ current value.