5-Cent Coins Worth Thousands? The Rare Mint Error Collectors Are Hunting For

These days you’d be hard-pressed to find a single item available at a store for a nickel. So you can be forgiven if you toss your 5-cent coins into a jar or car cup holder along with your unwanted pennies.

Not all nickels are worth just $0.05, however. Some are valued at thousands, hundreds of thousands and even millions of dollars because of limited runs, minting errors, unique designs or exceptional preservation. And with investors’ growing appetite for rare U.S. coins, your everyday pocket change may be holding a hidden treasure.

Quick Look: Most Valuable Nickels

5 Most Valuable Nickels Ever Sold

With a growing interest in history and culture, a desire for unique collectibles, and a recognition of coins’ value as investments, the global coin collecting market is expected to grow 8.5% annually from $18.1 billion in 2023 to $43.9 billion in 2034. To find a little inspiration for collecting, learn about the five most valuable 5-cent coins below.

1. 1913 Liberty Head Nickel

Among rare nickels, the 1913 Liberty Head, also known as the “V” nickel because of the Roman numeral on the coin’s obverse, or front, is the rarest U.S. nickel of all. It also has one of the most intriguing stories.

The Liberty Head began production in 1883 and was retired in 1912. However, someone struck five 1913 Liberty Heads at the Philadelphia mint without authorization, and the coins found their way around numismatic circles six years later. 

One that was graded Proof-66 by the Professional Coin Grading Service sold for $4.56 million at the August 2018 ANA Coins Auction by Stack’s Bowers in Philadelphia.

2. 1918/7-D Buffalo Nickel

The 1918/7-D Buffalo may not be the rarest among 5-cent coins, but its mint error has made it one of the most sought after. This nickel shows an “8” from “1918” struck over a “7” from “1917” at the Denver, Colorado, mint.

Creating a working die requires a die to be impressed twice in a working hub. The die for the obverse of the coin bore two dates: 1918 and 1917. Numismatists presume the 1918 hub came last, since the eight is superimposed over the seven.

A 1918/7-D Buffalo graded MS65 sold for $350,750 at a Bowers & Merena auction in 2006.

3. 1926-S Buffalo Nickel

The 1926-S Buffalo nickel is considered the key date in the run of James Earle Fraser’s buffalo design from 1913 to 1938. Just 970,000 were minted in San Francisco, and nearly all the coins were immediately placed in circulation. Few have survived, making Gem grade MS65 and above rare.

The 1926-S Buffalo ranks among the rarest of 20th-century American coinage. In 2008, an MS66 coin graded by the Numismatic Guaranty Company sold at the Chicago Rarities Sale by Bowers & Merena for $322,000, a record for a 1926-S Buffalo nickel.

4. 1916 Doubled Die Obverse Buffalo Nickel

The 1916 Doubled Die Obverse Buffalo nickel is considered the most significant in the die variety of the Buffalo series. The design on every coin struck was duplicated when the hub shifted or rotated. The image doubling is pronounced and visible to the naked eye. It can be seen on the date and the Native American chief’s lips and chin.

While 200 to 300 examples are known across all grades, just 15 are known to exist in mint state. Someone purchased an MS64 grade 1916 Doubled Die Obverse Buffalo nickel for $281,750 at a Bowers & Merena auction in 2004.

5. 1880 Shield Nickel

Minted from 1866 until 1883, the Shield nickel marked a shift from a silver-based composition of the coin to a copper-nickel makeup. The 1880 Shield nickel is distinguished by its low mintage. Just 16,000 coins were produced for circulation, although 25,900 were produced in 1879 and 68,800 were pressed in 1881.

The Professional Coin Grading Service has certified fewer than 30 1880 Shield nickels as mint grade, and just two as MS66. An MS66 1880 Shield nickel sold for a record $198,995 on eBay in January 2023.

Why Some 5-Cent Coins Are Worth So Much

Minting takes six steps:

• Blanking: Creating metal discs from coils of specific metal
• Annealing: Heating the metal to soften it for striking
• Washing and drying: Restoring the metal’s color
• Upsetting: Raising a rim on the edge of the metal disc
• Striking: Pressing the design onto a metal disc
• Bagging and packaging: Inspecting, counting, weighing and bagging coins

Mint errors can occur during striking. The die strikes the metal twice, or the hub moves and the die strikes the metal off-center. A die or planchet may crack. Such errors can make coins more valuable, as can a low mintage and high demand.

How to Identify a Rare Nickel in Your Change

To know whether you’re holding $0.05 or $1 million, learn how to spot rare coins:

• Look for older dates (before the 1960s).
• Check the mint mark for “D” for Denver or “S” for San Francisco.
• Inspect for mint errors like doubled dies, over-mint marks, and misalignments.
• Watch for “war nickels,” with 35% silver from 1942 to 1945.

You can use a magnifying glass or jeweler’s loupe to inspect your nickel closely. If you believe it might be worth a small mint, consider seeking professional grading help from the Professional Coin Grading Service or Numismatic Guaranty Company.

The Takeaway — Don’t Overlook Your Spare Change

These rare 5-cent coins bring up the possibility that you might have a small fortune in your pocket or in the jar in your kitchen cabinet. Before you spend them (or continue to ignore the jar), consider checking your spare change to see if a surprise find or small error might lead to a big payday.

You don’t need to be a coin collector or a numismatist. Using the right sources, you can identify potential collectibles or find help if you think you might have uncovered a few valuable nickels.

Frequently Asked Questions