Us Nickel Rating: 8,5/10 7212 votes
USA Coin Book has compiled a list of the most valuable US nickels ever known. For this list, we are only including five-cent nickels: Shield Nickels, Liberty 'V' Nickels, Buffalo Nickels (or Indian Head Nickels), and Jefferson Nickels. In addition, we are NOT factoring in the prices for Proof versions of these nickels (unless the Proof version is an error coin or an unusual variety). We are using our database of virtually every US coin ever produced (6,000+ coins) based on year, mint mark, major varieties, errors and their associated price values to come up with a list of the top most valuable nickels known. Our most valuable nickels list includes coins starting in 1866 up to the present (2021) - including rare nickel errors and rare varieties that could still actually be found in pocket change. This list and the prices are current as of 2021. Estimated coin prices and values in our database are updated twice per year.
Nickel is primarily sold for first use as refined metal (cathode, powder, briquet, etc.) or ferronickel. About 65% of the nickel consumed in the Western World is used to make austenitic stainless steel. Jefferson Nickels were first minted in 1938 and made of 75% Copper and 25% Nickel. However, in 1942, with World War II raging in Europe and the Pacific, Nickel became a critical war material. Government changed the composition of the coin to 56% Copper, 35% Silver and 9% Manganese.
Us Nickel Melt Value
The purpose of this page is to provide coin valuation data to collectors, investors, the media, and anyone interested learning what the most valuable nickels and five-cent coins are. Visitors can click on the links in the list below to view larger images of both sides of the coins (mint mark locations, error/variety diagnosis, etc), detailed pricing data for various conditions/grades of the coins, mintage figures, metal composition, history and other encyclopedic information regarding each individual coin.
| Image | Coin | Value |
|---|---|---|
| 1913 Liberty Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1913 Liberty Nickel | $4,345,249 |
| 1916 Buffalo Nickel: Doubled Die Obverse' width='200px' /> | 1916 Buffalo Nickel: Doubled Die Obverse | $151,729 |
| 1918-D Buffalo Nickel: 8 Over 7' width='200px' /> | 1918-D Buffalo Nickel: 8 Over 7 | $61,279 |
| 1936-D Buffalo Nickel: 3 and Half Legs' width='200px' /> | 1936-D Buffalo Nickel: 3 and Half Legs | $21,355 |
| 1942-D Jefferson Nickel: D Over Horizontal D' width='200px' /> | 1942-D Jefferson Nickel: D Over Horizontal D | $10,551 |
| 1926-S Buffalo Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1926-S Buffalo Nickel | $9,994 |
| 1880 Shield Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1880 Shield Nickel | $8,098 |
| 1914 Buffalo Nickel: 4 Over 3' width='200px' /> | 1914 Buffalo Nickel: 4 Over 3 | $6,787 |
| 1935 Buffalo Nickel: Doubled Die Reverse' width='200px' /> | 1935 Buffalo Nickel: Doubled Die Reverse | $6,781 |
| 1937-D Buffalo Nickel: 3 Legs' width='200px' /> | 1937-D Buffalo Nickel: 3 Legs | $5,559 |
| 1924-S Buffalo Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1924-S Buffalo Nickel | $3,973 |
| 1885 Liberty Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1885 Liberty Nickel | $3,650 |
| 1877 Shield Nickel: Proof Only' width='200px' /> | 1877 Shield Nickel: Proof Only | $3,010 |
| 1918-S Buffalo Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1918-S Buffalo Nickel | $2,975 |
| 1883 Shield Nickel: 3 Over 2' width='200px' /> | 1883 Shield Nickel: 3 Over 2 | $2,931 |
| 1886 Liberty Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1886 Liberty Nickel | $2,819 |
| 1921-S Buffalo Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1921-S Buffalo Nickel | $2,281 |
| 1912-S Liberty Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1912-S Liberty Nickel | $2,167 |
| 1927-S Buffalo Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1927-S Buffalo Nickel | $2,167 |
| 1925-S Buffalo Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1925-S Buffalo Nickel | $1,959 |
| 1919-S Buffalo Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1919-S Buffalo Nickel | $1,885 |
| 1920-S Buffalo Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1920-S Buffalo Nickel | $1,885 |
| 1919-D Buffalo Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1919-D Buffalo Nickel | $1,630 |
| 1878 Shield Nickel: Proof Only' width='200px' /> | 1878 Shield Nickel: Proof Only | $1,629 |
| 1920-D Buffalo Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1920-D Buffalo Nickel | $1,516 |
| 1917-S Buffalo Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1917-S Buffalo Nickel | $1,254 |
| 1913-S Buffalo Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1913-S Buffalo Nickel | $1,167 |
| 1918-D Buffalo Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1918-D Buffalo Nickel | $1,124 |
| 1879 Shield Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1879 Shield Nickel | $1,079 |
| 1881 Shield Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1881 Shield Nickel | $1,079 |
| 1915-S Buffalo Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1915-S Buffalo Nickel | $1,079 |
| 1939 Jefferson Nickel: Double Monticello' width='200px' /> | 1939 Jefferson Nickel: Double Monticello | $1,079 |
| 1971-S Jefferson Nickel: No S' width='200px' /> | 1971-S Jefferson Nickel: No S | $1,079 |
| 1866 Shield Nickel: Repunched Date' width='200px' /> | 1866 Shield Nickel: Repunched Date | $978 |
| 1923-S Buffalo Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1923-S Buffalo Nickel | $978 |
| 1945-P Jefferson Nickel: Doubled Die Reverse' width='200px' /> | 1945-P Jefferson Nickel: Doubled Die Reverse | $866 |
| 1924-D Buffalo Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1924-D Buffalo Nickel | $831 |
| 1917-D Buffalo Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1917-D Buffalo Nickel | $806 |
| 1925-D Buffalo Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1925-D Buffalo Nickel | $806 |
| 1879 Shield Nickel: 9 Over 8' width='200px' /> | 1879 Shield Nickel: 9 Over 8 | $776 |
| 1943-P Jefferson Nickel: 3 Over 2' width='200px' /> | 1943-P Jefferson Nickel: 3 Over 2 | $746 |
| 1943-P Jefferson Nickel: Doubled Eye' width='200px' /> | 1943-P Jefferson Nickel: Doubled Eye | $686 |
| 1871 Shield Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1871 Shield Nickel | $656 |
| 1873 Shield Nickel: Closed 3' width='200px' /> | 1873 Shield Nickel: Closed 3 | $625 |
| 1914-D Buffalo Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1914-D Buffalo Nickel | $578 |
| 1928-S Buffalo Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1928-S Buffalo Nickel | $578 |
| 1867 Shield Nickel: Type 1 - With Rays' width='200px' /> | 1867 Shield Nickel: Type 1 - With Rays | $531 |
| 1949-D Jefferson Nickel: D Over S' width='200px' /> | 1949-D Jefferson Nickel: D Over S | $531 |
| 1926-D Buffalo Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1926-D Buffalo Nickel | $507 |
| 1914-S Buffalo Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1914-S Buffalo Nickel | $483 |
| 1866 Shield Nickel: With Rays' width='200px' /> | 1866 Shield Nickel: With Rays | $457 |
| 1894 Liberty Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1894 Liberty Nickel | $457 |
| 1912-D Liberty Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1912-D Liberty Nickel | $432 |
| 1913-D Buffalo Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1913-D Buffalo Nickel | $432 |
| 1875 Shield Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1875 Shield Nickel | $390 |
| 1915-D Buffalo Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1915-D Buffalo Nickel | $380 |
| 1888 Liberty Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1888 Liberty Nickel | $364 |
| 1874 Shield Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1874 Shield Nickel | $353 |
| 1876 Shield Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1876 Shield Nickel | $353 |
| 1918 Buffalo Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1918 Buffalo Nickel | $353 |
| 1921 Buffalo Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1921 Buffalo Nickel | $339 |
| 1927-D Buffalo Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1927-D Buffalo Nickel | $335 |
| 1870 Shield Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1870 Shield Nickel | $326 |
| 1872 Shield Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1872 Shield Nickel | $326 |
| 1873 Shield Nickel: Open 3' width='200px' /> | 1873 Shield Nickel: Open 3 | $326 |
| 1884 Liberty Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1884 Liberty Nickel | $326 |
| 1916-S Buffalo Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1916-S Buffalo Nickel | $299 |
| 1896 Liberty Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1896 Liberty Nickel | $287 |
| 1916-D Buffalo Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1916-D Buffalo Nickel | $279 |
| 1997-P Jefferson Nickel: Special Frosted Matte Uncirculated' width='200px' /> | 1997-P Jefferson Nickel: Special Frosted Matte Uncirculated | $271 |
| 1867 Shield Nickel: Type 2 - Without Rays' width='200px' /> | 1867 Shield Nickel: Type 2 - Without Rays | $244 |
| 1868 Shield Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1868 Shield Nickel | $244 |
| 1869 Shield Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1869 Shield Nickel | $244 |
| 1882 Shield Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1882 Shield Nickel | $244 |
| 1883 Shield Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1883 Shield Nickel | $216 |
| 1883 Liberty Nickel: With Cents' width='200px' /> | 1883 Liberty Nickel: With Cents | $216 |
| 1890 Liberty Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1890 Liberty Nickel | $216 |
| 1891 Liberty Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1891 Liberty Nickel | $216 |
| 1895 Liberty Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1895 Liberty Nickel | $216 |
| 1887 Liberty Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1887 Liberty Nickel | $205 |
| 1898 Liberty Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1898 Liberty Nickel | $196 |
| 1913-S Buffalo Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1913-S Buffalo Nickel | $194 |
| 1889 Liberty Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1889 Liberty Nickel | $189 |
| 1892 Liberty Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1892 Liberty Nickel | $168 |
| 1893 Liberty Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1893 Liberty Nickel | $168 |
| 1897 Liberty Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1897 Liberty Nickel | $168 |
| 1923 Buffalo Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1923 Buffalo Nickel | $168 |
| 1924 Buffalo Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1924 Buffalo Nickel | $168 |
| 1917 Buffalo Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1917 Buffalo Nickel | $161 |
| 1920 Buffalo Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1920 Buffalo Nickel | $154 |
| 1909 Liberty Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1909 Liberty Nickel | $152 |
| 1899 Liberty Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1899 Liberty Nickel | $141 |
| 1900 Liberty Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1900 Liberty Nickel | $141 |
| 1929-D Buffalo Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1929-D Buffalo Nickel | $141 |
| 1901 Liberty Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1901 Liberty Nickel | $134 |
| 1902 Liberty Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1902 Liberty Nickel | $134 |
| 1903 Liberty Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1903 Liberty Nickel | $134 |
| 1904 Liberty Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1904 Liberty Nickel | $134 |
| 1905 Liberty Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1905 Liberty Nickel | $134 |
| 1906 Liberty Nickel' width='200px' /> | 1906 Liberty Nickel | $134 |
