1940 D Jefferson Nickel <> UNCIRCULATED (2024)

FAQs

How do I know if my 1940 nickel is worth anything? ›

“Raw” Uncirculated specimens are a fair value, from about $1.50 for an example in Brilliant Uncirculated condition up to about $15 for one in “Gem”. Gem uncirculated grades translate to MS-65 and above in certified grades.

There are two types of punch errors on Jefferson nickels: repunched mint marks and overdates. Mint marks were punched onto coin dies by hand until the 1990s. It took multiple blows with a mallet to make the mintmark deep enough.

1942-D D Over Horizontal D - $32,200

In 1942, the Denver Mint stamped a few nickels with a horizontal D and then stamped over it with a normal D. It's estimated that only about 10 coins exist in perfect condition with this minting error, making this one of the rarest Jefferson nickels you can find.

The US Nickels made of silver are those minted between 1942 and 1945. The usual composition of other nickels is 75% copper and 25% nickel, but during the war, they were made of 56% copper, 35% silver, and 9% manganese. That is why these coins are sometimes referred to as "silver war nickels" or "wartime nickels."

Older Nickels: Anything before 1960 is worth keeping for its potential value. War Nickels: Made from 1942 to 1945, these have a higher silver content and are more valuable. Nickels with Errors: Any nickels with obvious minting errors can be valuable.

1913 Liberty Head V

The 1913 Liberty Head Nickel, also known as the “Liberty Head V” or the “1913 V Nickel”, is considered one of the most valuable and famous coins in the world of numismatics. It was minted without authorization by the United States Mint.

The individual key date coins of the series are the 1939 D Jefferson Nickel, the 1939 S Jefferson Nickel, the 1942 D Jefferson Nickel, and the 1950 D Jefferson Nickel.

The most valuable nickel is the 1913 Liberty Head Nickel, which is rumored to have been illegally produced, as they were created during the transition from the Liberty Head Nickel to Buffalo nickels, per GoBankingRates, which added that only five 1913 Liberty Head nickels are known to exist and have sold for several ...

This is one of the key dates in the Jefferson Nickel due to its very low mintage. its total mintage is only 2,630,000. Compare its mintage to an earlier issue such as the 1943-P where the Mint struck 271,165,000 Jefferson Nickels.

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Jefferson Head nickels (1938–present)

The cause of the key date of 1939 stems from the new design that excited collectors the year prior, after the initial hype had settled down fewer nickels were saved. 2,630,000 nickels were minted in Denver in 1950, this remains the lowest mintage for the Denver mint in the series.

The 1940-D Jefferson Nickel is a common coin in all grades up to and including MS-67 Full Steps. Apparently, the Denver Mint produced some very nice, fully struck Nickels in this year, making this one of the most affordable, early Jefferson Nickels.

Jefferson Nickels made between 1942 in 1945 are also called War Nickels and consisted of 35% silver. This means they are worth more than face value, and most have been removed from circulation. An easy way to identify these more valuable coins is to look at the reverse.

The 1942 edition was the first of what were referred to as “War nickels” and contain 35 percent silver. For a coin collector, a Jefferson Nickel may only be worth obtaining if it is in excellent condition. Not only are coins in great condition more valuable, they are more beautiful to look at.

If the date on the front of the coin is not visible then the coin is valued anywhere between 8 to 15 cents, Sorrick said. If the date is partially visible then the coin can be worth between 50 cents to around $1, Sorrick said, and more than $1 if the date is fully visible.

Distinguishing a war nickel from other Jefferson nickels is fairly easy with just the date and mint mark. The date should be 1942, 1943, 1944, or 1945; the P, S, or D mint mark should be large and located above Monticello.

Silver War Nickels

If you look at the reverse of a silver nickel there will be a large “P,” “D,” or “S” visible above Monticello, Jefferson's home. Coins without these large Mint marks are not Silver War Nickels. Many War Nickels are purchased as bullion-type coins due to their composition of 35% silver.