Guide to the Jefferson Nickel Coin Series
The 1942-D Over Horizontal D Jefferson Nickel (Buy on eBay) is a rare re-punched mint mark which is extremely elusive in high grades. This variety is easily identified without strong magnification. As implied by the name, the first “D” is punched horizontally with the curved side facing down and the second “D” is punched in […]
The 1950-D Jefferson Nickel (Buy on eBay) is considered the key date coin of the series with a mintage of 2,630,030 pieces. The low mintage was immediately noted by collectors around the time of issue, which led to widespread hoarding and speculation. After the mintage figure was revealed, collectors and even the broader public quickly […]
During World War II, the Jefferson Nickel series underwent a significant change. Since nickel was identified as a strategic metal for the war effort, the composition of the five cent piece was changed to 35% silver, 9% manganese, and 56% copper. The 1942-1945 Silver Wartime Nickels (Buy on eBay) minted from 1942 to 1945 create […]
The Jefferson Nickel replaced the highly popular Buffalo Nickel, which was first struck in 1913. By law, design changes for any given denomination were restricted for a period of 25 years. Thus, it was not until 1938 that it was first possible to change the nickel’s design. Design Competition The Treasury Department announced a public […]