1945 S Jefferson Nickel

Notes: There is a double die this year to look out for, it is worth nearly $225 in good condition. Wartime nickels were issued in 35% silver from 1942-1945 as Nickel was a resource needed for the World War II. These Nickels are usually ugly and grimy but a great way to stock up on silver at near spot or under. Toning due to this coins silver content is a major factor in the price set in the coin market, not as important as grade however.

Full Steps Monticello

Full steps on the reverse of the nickel leading up to Monticello the famous residence of Thomas Jefferson are one of the most coveted features for a graded specimen.

PCGS calls it FS (full steps), while NGC calls its 5FS (5 full steps), both are the same they have just been marked differently depending on who graded the coin. See examples below.

NGC 5FS

NGC Using 5FS

PCGS FS

PCGS Using FS

Does Your Nickel have Full Steps?

Well first make sure the coin is reverse side up and use a magnifying glass or something similar to magnify the coin. The reverse should have 5 steps clean and sharp. See image below.

PCGS Using FS

1945 Nickel Errors and Values

Double Die Error 1945 5c $15-$225 USD

Look closely at the letters and numbers on both the reverse and front of this coin for doubling of letters along the edges. These errors are fairly common and worth between $15-$225 USD This error coins value will be primarily set by the grade and presence of Full Steps more so than the presence of DDO or DDR.

1945 5c Lamination Error $5-$20 USD

Lamination errors are common place for 1945 nickels, they are worth $5-$20 USD

Clipped Planchet 1945 5c $8-$70 USD

When planchets are clipped either curved or straight they are usually worth around $8-$70 USD

D / D 1945 5c $8-$80 USD

D over D error is worth on average $8-$80 USD

How much is a 1945 S Jefferson Nickel worth?

In Average Circulated (AC) condition it's worth around $2.00, one in certified mint state (MS+) condition could bring as much as $15 at auction. This price does not reference any standard coin grading scale. So when we say Average Circulated, we mean in a similar condition to other coins circulated in 1945, and mint state meaning it is certified MS+ by one of the top coin grading companies. *** [?].

What are your coins really worth?

Use the handy-dandy calculator below to find the real value of any jefferson nickel in your collection.

Specs & Design

This coin has a total mass of 5 g, a diameter of 21.21 mm, and a thickness of 1.95 mm. It's edge is smooth, and the coins are composed of 75% copper and 25% nickel.

Designer: Felix Schlag

Front (Obverse): The front of this coin has the bust of Thomas Jefferson featured front and center. The words IN GOD WE TRUST are on the left most portion, with the word LIBERTY on the right just above the date. If a mint mark is present it will be just below the date.

Back (Reverse): The reverse features the Monticello located in Albemarle County, VA. The Monticello was the long time home of Jefferson. The words E PLUIRIBUS UNUM, meaning out of many one are draped across the top, while the words FIVE CENTS, and UNITED STATES OF AMERICA are featured on the bottom.

Yes! Jefferson Nickel's produced in 1945 are 35% silver to be precise, and contain 0.0563 troy oz or 1.751 grams in total of .999 pure silver. Silver weight is measured in troy ounces. Troy ounces weigh about 2 grams more than the standard ounce. CoinTrackers has built a tool that will let you know if your coin is silver or not. The tool is called Is My Coin Silver?.