Jefferson Nickel Value
Jefferson nickels have been struck since 1938. Most are copper-nickel; the 1942 to 1945 wartime issues contain silver.
Melt value
No melt value: base metal
This coin is 75% copper, 25% nickel. Doubloon doesn't give copper, nickel, zinc or steel a melt value; for this coin, the date, mint mark and condition decide the collector value.
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Photograph the front and back. Doubloon identifies the year and mint mark and shows the melt value. Doubloon Pro adds collector ranges with their sources and the key dates to check.
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Specifications
| Series | Jefferson Nickel |
|---|---|
| Years | 1938 to 2003 |
| Mints | No mint mark (Philadelphia) P (Philadelphia) D (Denver) S (San Francisco) |
| Mint mark location | Reverse, to the right of Monticello (1938 to 1964, except wartime); large P, D or S above Monticello's dome on the reverse (1942-P, 1942-S and 1943 to 1945); none (1965 to 1967); obverse below the date (1968 to 2003). |
| Years | Metal content | Composition | Weight | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1938 to 1941 | None (base metal) | 75% copper, 25% nickel | 5 g | 21.21 mm |
| 1942 (none, D only) | None (base metal) | 75% copper, 25% nickel (no mint mark or small D) | 5 g | 21.21 mm |
| 1942 (P, S only) | 0.0563 troy oz silver | Wartime alloy: 35% silver, 56% copper, 9% manganese | 5 g | 21.21 mm |
| 1943 to 1945 (P, D, S only) | 0.0563 troy oz silver | Wartime alloy: 35% silver, 56% copper, 9% manganese | 5 g | 21.21 mm |
| 1946 to 2003 | None (base metal) | 75% copper, 25% nickel | 5 g | 21.21 mm |
Metal content = weight × precious-metal fraction ÷ 31.1034768 grams per troy ounce. Worn coins weigh slightly less than new ones.
Key dates and varieties to check
These are the known key dates, varieties and metal changes for the Jefferson Nickel. Each entry says what to look at on the coin.
- Key date1939-DLook for a D to the right of Monticello on a 1939 date.
- Variety1939 Doubled MONTICELLOLook at MONTICELLO and FIVE CENTS on the reverse for strong doubling.
- Metal change1942 silver or copper-nickelLook above Monticello's dome: a large P or S there means the 35% silver alloy. No mark, or a small D to the right of the building, means copper-nickel.
- Variety1942-D/Horizontal DLook at the small D right of Monticello with a loupe for a second D punched sideways under it.
- Variety1943/2-PLook for a large P above the dome and, with a loupe, the curve of a 2 inside the lower part of the 3.
- Variety1943-P Doubled EyeLook at Jefferson's eye with a loupe for a doubled eyelid and pupil.
- Variety1944 without a mint markEvery 1944 nickel the Mint struck carries a large P, D or S above Monticello. A 1944 with no mark matches a known counterfeit made in the 1950s.
- Semi-key date1950-DLook for a D to the right of Monticello on a 1950 date.
- Key date1971 No S ProofA mirror-finish proof nickel dated 1971 with no S below the date.
Doubloon can't confirm a variety from a photo. Compare your coin with this guidance. A grading service can authenticate it.
What sets the value
Melt value is the gold, silver, platinum or palladium in the coin multiplied by the current spot price. Copper, nickel, zinc and steel coins have no melt value in Doubloon.
Collector value depends on the date, the mint mark, any variety, and condition. Doubloon Pro shows a collector estimate range by condition, built from recent public sales and listings, with the sources and date for each range. When no recent sales are found, Doubloon says so and shows the melt value.
Condition runs from Circulated (Good to Fine) through Extremely Fine, About Uncirculated and Uncirculated, to Proof for coins struck for collectors. Don't clean a coin: cleaning can lower its collector value.
Related coins
Sources and dates
- Public Law 77-815 (1942 wartime five-cent alloy)
- Doubloon catalog source: usmint-history
- United States Mint, coin specifications (weight, diameter, composition)
- A Guide Book of United States Coins (Whitman): key dates, varieties and mintages
- Doubloon catalog source: pcgs-coinfacts
- Doubloon catalog source: ngc-coin-explorer
- Spot prices: unavailable when this page was loaded.
- Specifications and key dates: Doubloon's catalog, reviewed October 8, 2026.
Values on this page are estimates, not appraisals, offers or investment advice.