Jefferson Nickel Value Chart by Year (1938–1964)
The Jefferson nickel has been struck since 1938 at three mints: Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco. The chart below covers the classic era through 1964 and shows the value range for every regular issue, from worn to uncirculated. Click any cell for the full page on that coin. ⚠ marks key dates and rare varieties. A ◆ marks the 35% silver war nickels of 1942–1945 — every one of those is worth several dollars.
Prices are guide values from the USACoinBook price guide (updated Feb 2026) for regular strikes; error varieties are listed on the individual pages. Where no low-grade price is shown, worn examples trade at face value (5 cents). ◆ = 35% silver war nickel.
Which Jefferson nickels are worth money?
Three groups are always worth more than five cents. First, the silver war nickels of 1942–1945 — every one contains 35% silver. Second, the key dates, led by the 1950-D (the lowest mintage of the series) and the 1939-D. Third, error varieties like the 1943/2 overdate and the 1939 Double Monticello — listed below with the regular issues.
Everything else — especially nickels from the late 1950s and 1960s — is usually worth face value in worn condition. Uncirculated coins with full steps on Monticello are the exception.