Five-cent coins can help your economy, although their value is apparently low, they can reach interesting prices, all depending on their characteristics and history.
According to the US Mint, the first nickel coins were made of gold, silver or copper, and it was not until 1866 that the first nickel coins were created.
If you’re lucky enough to find an old or rare version, you could end up getting thousands of dollars, or even millions, for these coins, which might just be sitting in a drawer or in your pocket right now.
The first five-cent coins were known as “shield coins” and were produced between 1866 and 1883. Then followed those made of nickel: Liberty Head (1883-1913), the Buffalo or Indian Head nickel (1913-1938) and the Nickel Jefferson (1938-present).
Because of their rarity and value, the most valuable nickels are more likely to be from older, pre-World War I mintages.
But you can also find some expensive versions minted during World War II (1942-1945) because they were made with extra silver and manganese to save nickel for war reasons.
Other nickels with manufacturing errors can fetch an interesting price, including “old-fashioned” nickels where the year is stamped over a previous year.
One valuable nickel is the 1913 Liberty Head Nickel, considered one of the “most legendary and mysterious” pieces, because the coin is rumored to have been produced illegally during the transition from Liberty Head to Buffalo Nickels.
Those in the know say that only five 1913 Liberty Head nickels exist, and that they were never officially released. For that reason, its value to date is estimated at $3 million dollars.
But don’t be discouraged if you don’t have that particular coin, there are others in circulation and if you keep them in good condition, collectors can pay you significant amounts:
· 1926-S Buffalo Nickel: $4,200
· 1916 Double Die Buffalo Nickel: $3,800
· 1918/17-D Buffalo Nickel (updated): $3,500
· 1879 Nickel Shield: $2,400
· 1937-D Three-Legged Buffalo with Nickel: $2,000
· 1880 Nickel Shield: $2,000
· 1942-P Jefferson Nickel: $800
· 1950-D Jefferson Nickel: $800
· 1939 “Double Monticello: $500
Keep reading:
· Copper coins that you could have lying around and that are worth thousands of dollars
· What is the Lincoln Penny coin that sells for up to $60,000 dollars?
· $10 million: this is the most expensive coin in the United States