1938 - 1942 Jefferson Nickel Value (United States)
U.S. MINT SPECIFICATIONS |
Denomination: | $0.05 |
Obverse Image: | Thomas Jefferson, 3rd President of the United States and author of the Declaration of Independence. |
Reverse Image: | Monticello, Jefferson's mountaintop home in Virgina. |
Metal Composition: | 75% copper, 25% nickel |
Total Weight: | 5.00 grams |
Comments: | The 1938 through 1942 D versions of the nickel have the same metal composition as the 1946-2011 nickel, but are generally sold for a premium over their melt value due to rarity. Please check current eBay auctions to see where prices are ending today. |
CALCULATING TODAY'S MELT VALUE (USD) |
Using the latest metal prices and the specifications above, these are the numbers required to calculate melt value:
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$4.2270 | = | copper price / pound on Feb 14, 2025. |
.75 | = | copper % |
$6.8440 | = | nickel price / pound on Feb 14, 2025. |
.25 | = | nickel % |
5.00 | = | total weight in grams |
.00220462262 | = | pound/gram conversion factor (see note directly below) |
The CME uses pounds to price these metals, that means we need to multiply the metal price by .00220462262 to make the conversion to grams.
1. Calculate 75% copper value :
(4.2270 × .00220462262 × 5.00 × .75) = $0.0349455
2. Calculate 25% nickel value :
(6.8440 × .00220462262 × 5.00 × .25) = $0.0188603
3. Add the two together :
$0.0349455 + $0.0188603 = $0.0538058
$0.0538058 is the melt value for the 1938-1942 nickel on February 14, 2025.
 | ← Calculate the value of your own coins. |
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1938-1942 NICKEL MINTAGE AND COLLECTIBLE VALUES (USD) |
The "Year" column lists the year and mint mark on the coin -- D is for Denver, S is for San Francisco, and P is for Philadelphia. A coin without a mint mark means it was also minted in Philadelphia. The "Mintage" column is the number of coins struck and released by the U.S. Mint. The "Numismatic Value Range" column represents what people typically pay for that type of coin (usually a very wide price range depending on the condition).
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Year | Mintage | Numismatic Value Range |
1938 | 19,515,365 | $0.45 - $11.00 |
1938 D | 5,376,000 | $0.80 - $20.00 |
1938 S | 4,105,000 | $1.50 - $22.00 |
1939 | 120,627,000 | $0.10 - $5.00 |
1939 D | 3,514,000 | $2.50 - $150.00 |
1939 S | 6,630,000 | $0.40 - $120.00 |
1940 | 176,499,000 | $0.10 - $3.25 |
1940 D | 43,450,000 | $0.10 - $4.00 |
1940 S | 39,690,000 | $0.10 - $6.00 |
1941 | 203,283,000 | $0.10 - $4.00 |
1941 D | 53,432,000 | $0.10 - $5.50 |
1941 S | 43,445,000 | $0.10 - $7.25 |
1942 | 49,818,000 | $0.10 - $9.00 |
1942 D | 13,938,000 | $0.25 - $35.00 |
If you're interested in learning more about grading coins, Photograde is an excellent resource. |
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EBAY AUCTIONS - JEFFERSON NICKELS |
I believe that the old saying, "A coin is only worth what someone will pay for it," is absolutely true. I prefer eBay because it displays what people are actually paying for coins. Monthly coin price magazines and online price lists may not reflect current market conditions because they don't demonstrate what people are actually willing to pay.
View all Jefferson Nickel auctions or see below:
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CHARTS |
Long-term metal price charts for the 1938-1942 Jefferson nickel:
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