The 1913 Liberty Head nickels are among the best-known and most sought-after US coins in existence. Im a member of the American Numismatic Association (ANA) and the Numismatic Literary Guild (NLG) and have won multiple awards from the NLG for my work as a coin journalist. Get expert tips for collecting and caring for your Depression glass. These imperfections must have been substantial because the worker polished the die beyond usual standards. The 2 and the 3 overlap, and it's especially rare to find examples with both dates clearly visible. Lets now look at some common questions regarding the 1944 nickel. Usually, coins struck in Philadelphia do not have a mintmark, and 1944 was the first year the P mintmark appeared on nickels. 1920 D Buffalo Nickel. The rarest Jefferson nickel in terms of the original minting, the 1950 issue from the Denver Mint was under three million minted. Finding such a coin in excellent condition is not common, and one very fine example sold for $14,950 in 2007. If you can get your hands on one of these valuable nickels, be ready to grab your wallet. Since its inception, the coin comprised 75% copper and 25% nickel. In 2021, a 1944 S nickel in grade MS68 sold for $6,169. The dollar coin strike is off center, so you can still see that the coin is also a nickel. Maybe it was that the dies had eroded and were not replaced, or perhaps they were set too far apart. This mistake at the mint has turned into one of the most highly sought-after nickels worth millions. Sifting through them all is an impossible task, but finding a valuable nickel isnt quite as hard as you would imagine. It goes back to the issue of rising metals prices. This means that the 1951 nickels mostly entered circulation and became worn as a result. But another excellent example sold at auction in 2014 for $170,375, or about $208,100 in 2022 dollars. It is reported that it sold for $1,150,000 on eBay. Why? The majority of nickels are worth between $0.05 and $1. It surely isnt worth it just to make a few bucks, is it? The 1944 doubled die nickels are quite rare but extremely desirable, with nickels showing strong doubling fetching a higher value. The full steps version of the 1964 Jefferson nickel is rare, but it's even rarer in a soft satin finish. As the US Mint transitioned from the Liberty nickel series to Buffalo nickels in 1913, a handful of final Liberty coins were created with a 1913 mint year. The denomination was the highest point on the coin and was the first feature to wear away. There are a few key elements to locate valuable rare nickels wanted by collectors. Rarity is a crucial factor in collectibles of all sorts, and with the Buffalo nickels, that is hard to come by. One way to recognize an altered coin is to look for what appears to be a stream of water coming from the buffalo's belly. The rarer the nickel is, the more valuable it is. By the end of this article, youll be able to impress any numismatist. The 1918-S Buffalo nickel is yet another example that was produced in somewhat low quantities, but the true rarity is because most are not well struck. The motto IN GOD WE TRUST is inscribed around the coins left edge, while the word LIBERTY and the date, 1944, appear around the coins right edge. Work on memorizing this list of years and you might be able to identify some valuable nickels easily. Because of errors, low mintage, or age, many US coins have become exponentially more valuable than their denomination implies. Coins from before 1965 are made of 90% silver, and are worth more than their face value in regards to their metal content. Imagine - some of these valuable records could be rattling around in your attic. While many held onto the original 1883 and 1884 design thinking they would become collectors items, it ended up that the newer 1885 was neglected by collectors and is now more rare and valuable. In 1883, the Shield nickel was replaced by the Liberty Head nickel, the Buffalo nickel made its debut in 1913, and in 1938, the first Jefferson nickel was minted. Of all the Buffalo nickels ever produced, the production run at the San Francisco mint in 1926 yielded only 970,000. If you look closely at the year stamped onto the front of the coin, you may notice that the "8" in 1918 looks somewhat distorted. There are just five known examples of the coin, according to the PCGS. Receiving a grade of MS-66+ means that the coin has only minor imperfections on the surface, was minted from a fresh set of dies, and was well-struck to bring up all the details of the coin. You can identify the 1944 S nickel by its low relief or weak impression. Copper and Nickel Prices SOARING! That said, if you happen to find a 1944 Jefferson nickel with half the design missing but the mintmark and date are fully visible, you should hold on to this coin as it is quite valuable. This may be why so few uncirculated examples were saved for coin collectors. 1924 S Buffalo Nickel - Worth $14,000. Knowing what to look for can help determine if your 1944 nickel is worth anything. Depending on the year, it can be somewhat rare for a Jefferson nickel to clearly show all the steps of Monticello on the back. A star separates the word LIBERTY and the date. But the truly collectible nickels worth more than just their melt value. 7. A grading scale of 1 to 70 is also used to value coins, with 1 being the lowest and 70 being the highest. Uncirculated variations of the nickel sell for hundreds of thousands, including a record $276,000 sale in 2008 for a 1926 doubled die coin in mint condition. The 1971 no-S Jefferson nickel is worth about $1,000 and up.. 1975-D High D Mintmark Only about 19 with this finish exist, probably part of an unofficial mint set. Off-centers are quite interesting errors that feature a misaligned or missing design. Step 2: Grading Condition - Comparing to images of different grades, recognize the quality in demand and awarded premium value. Fumes and smoke emanating from your house might tip off someone you least suspect and give them reason to report you to the authorities. So, the news about nickels being worth more than face value. Buffalo Nickels. Distinct full steps coins are extremely rare for this reason, and it's very uncommon for one to survive in nearly uncirculated condition. That said, some Jefferson nickels from 1944 in mint, gem, and uncirculated condition are rare, with only a few existing examples. With over three million 1927-S Buffalo nickels minted, this hardly qualifies this coin as rare or scarce. In this rare nickels list, were going to cover the valuable rare nickels wanted by collectors. 1920 D Buffalo Nickel. Most examples circulated for almost 15 years until Paul M. Lange of Rochester, New York offered an example for sale in an auction on March 1930. You Could Find This Rare Penny In Your Pocket Change Heres What To Look For. Sold: January 2008; Bowers & Merena, The January 2008 Orlando Rarities Sale. Silver nickels such as the Liberty Head Nickels In this article, you will find out how much your 1944 nickel is worth. In fact, at one point, the value of nickel went to $100,000 per metric ton. Real Experiences. Now, there is one major exception to this rule. Sold: July 2008; Heritage Auctions, Baltimore, MD (ANA) US Coin Signature Auction. This coin is the only one in the Buffalo nickel series with a significant doubling on the coin's reverse. An example sold in 2013 for $21,150. Here is another mint error caused by the improper manufacturing of a coin die. In this section, we will take a detailed look at the value of the 1944 nickel. Advertise a display every week and get a monthly 10% discount. Therefore, the total number of coin collectors that would be able to assemble a complete set of Shield nickels will be less than 20,000. This error happens when the coins design is impressed two times on the die. This created a lot of hype and demand and that has never died over the years. This post may contain affiliate links. 1880 Shield Nickel - Worth $20,000. Next up: Most Valuable Dimes A List Of Silver Dimes & Other Dimes You Should Hold Onto! The reverse is the tail or back side of the coin. Mint state 1944 S nickels are worth significantly more, fetching upward of $1500. In Even amid an economic downturn in 2008, an MS-67 grade example sold for a whopping $138,000, or about $185,300 in 2022 dollars. 1941 Proof Minting - $18,800 Although 18,700 proof In 1918 the United States was in the midst of World War I. The mint quickly added the denominations to the reverse of the coin. To find such a pristine example coupled with a highly detailed strike is a true rarity. Meanwhile, if you happen to find one in average condition, the coin might only be worth $1.90, according to USA Coin Book. Some Canadian nickels are known to be worth up to $10,000 and even the less rare iterations can still get you $100 or more. Any war nickel is worth at least its weight in silver. The other 75% is copper! Full steps coins are extremely hard to find, and the 1952 issue from the Denver Mint is especially coveted by collectors. 4.) Most Valuable Nickel 1. Higher-grade pieces are worth more, and cleaned and damaged nickelsare worth less. One sold for $16,675 in 2008. While the coins design has remained relatively unchanged, the nickels metal composition has changed over the years. pennies made before 1982 are worth 2 to 3 cents just for their copper value, Some 1969 Washington Quarters Are Worth $4,000! The result is a doubling or tripling of the design, with each impression appearing at a slightly different angle. The perfect mix of modern luxury business and lifestyle stories. A 1979 Susan B. Anthony over a 1978 nickel sold at auction in 2014 for $15,275. 2023 LoveToKnow Media. At that price, a typical nickel is worth 16 cents in Also known as the Indian Head nickel, the Buffalo nickel had been in circulation for twenty-five years, and it was time for a new coin. Web2019 S Jefferson Nickels -$02-015 $4.39 Seller: whcwa Condition: Proof 1945S Jefferson 35% Silver War Nickel NGC MS 66 Nice. The war nickels have the same design as the pre-war Jefferson nickels. If you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission. 1972 Dollar Coin Value See How Much Your 1972 Eisenhower Silver Dollars Are Worth! Your 1944 nickel might be worth thousands of dollars depending on the coins grade and condition. All coins minted at each facility have a mintmark, P, D, or S, respectively. The most expensive 1944-P nickel, graded MS60, was sold at 7,475 in 2011. One sold for $16,450 in 2014. More than 50million nickels were minted in the US in 1926. Liberty Head or V-Nickel values are slightly more in line with what you would expect for coins of that period, but expert numismatists believe they are undervalued. They also think that there are a lot of errors and die varieties still to be found in this series since other coin types from this period exhibit many exciting varieties. In early 2018, it seems some of the Buffalo nickels were first struck with a 1917 die, then again with the proper 1918 one. For those coin collectors who are not familiar with the Shield nickel series, the 1880 specimen may come as a surprise. According to MRTWAF, the reason this coin is worth so much is because of a little dot next to the date on the beaver side of the nickel. Step 1: Date and Mintmark Variety - Vintage nickels are identified and valued by date and mint variety. You may need a magnifying loupe to see the repunched and overlapping D over D mintmark in some 1964 Jefferson nickels from the Denver mint. The reverse die used to create it was polished a little too hard, and the iconic buffalo is missing a leg because of it. Some of the most valuable nickels came from the Buffalo series, which saw the animal on the reverse, or tails side of the coin from 1913 to 1938. To accurately identify this coin, look for a strong doubling on the reverse of the coin. Copper and Nickel Prices SOARING!Watch this video on YouTube, Stay up to date with everything about U.S Coins, We dont spam! A highly collectible mint mistake is the 1943/2 Jefferson nickel. Although not rare, the Denver 1944 nickels are fewer than those minted in Philadelphia. Some have a value of $1 or more, and a few are even worth more than $10. 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