1942-S Jefferson Nickel Value: What Is It Worth in 2026?
Every war nickel is 35% silver, so even a worn one is worth several dollars. Sell it individually on eBay, or bundle silver nickels together — dealers buy them by the roll.
Value by condition
| Good (G-4, heavily worn) | $4.48 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $4.80 |
| Fine (F-12) | $5.42 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $6.28 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $7.18 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $7.88 |
| Mint State (MS-63, uncirculated) | $33 |
A 35% silver war nickel: look for the large S above Monticello's dome on the reverse. Even worn examples are worth several dollars on their silver content alone.
See the full page for this coin (mintage, how to identify it, where to sell)This is a silver nickel — here is how to be sure
From late 1942 through 1945 the Mint removed nickel metal from the five-cent piece (it was needed for the war effort) and switched to an alloy of 35% silver, 56% copper, and 9% manganese. Every one of these war nickels is worth several dollars on its silver content alone — roughly 0.056 troy ounces of silver per coin.
The identification takes five seconds: flip the coin over and look at Monticello. A war nickel has a large mint mark above the dome — a big P, D, or S. Regular nickels of other years have a small letter to the right of the building, or none at all. See the full list on the silver nickel years guide.
How to confirm it's genuine
- The mint mark is the LARGE letter above Monticello's dome on the reverse — that big letter is exactly what makes it a silver war nickel.
- Never clean the coin: cleaning destroys the original surface and can cut the value in half.
- For any coin worth more than $200, PCGS/NGC grading fees (~$20–50) are money well spent.
Where to sell this coin
- eBay works best in the $1.00–$200 range. Take clear photos of both sides in natural light, and put the year, mint mark, and approximate grade in the title.
- A local coin dealer is the fastest way to cash out, but expect 60–70% of guide prices. Best for selling common dates in bulk.
- Silver war nickels also sell by silver content: dealers quote them as a multiple of face value or by the roll, pegged to the silver spot price.