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Design Specifications for the Jefferson Nickel

The Jefferson Nickel is a long running coin series that has seen very little change. (1938 to date)

There was a slight change to the design of the steps of Monticello in 1939, and a change in composition during the war years (1942-1945).

The first major changes to the design took place beginning in 2004 with the The Westward Journey Nickel Series.

To read more about Jefferson Nickels click here.

The specification tables are listed below.

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1938-1942 Pre-War
Jefferson Nickel

Type

Jefferson Nickel (pre-war)

Designer

Felix Schlag

Years Minted

1938-1942

Weight

5 grams

Comp-
osition

75% copper, 25% nickel

Diameter

approx. 21.2 mm

Edge

plain

Mints

Philadelphia - no mint mark
Denver - D
San Francisco - S

Mintage

1938
1939
1940
1941
1942

Philadelphia

19,496,000
120,615,000
176,485,000
203,265,000
48,789,000

Denver-D

D - 5,376,000
D - 3,514,000
D - 43,540,000
D - 53,432,000
D - 13,938,000

San Francisco-S

S - 4,105,000
S - 6,630,000
S - 39,690,000
S - 43,445,000
S - 0

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**1942-1945 Jefferson Wartime Nickel**

Type

Jefferson Silver Alloy Wartime Nickel

Designer

Felix Schlag

Years Minted

1942-1945

Weight

5 grams

Comp-
osition

56% copper, 35% silver, 9% manganese

Diameter

approx. 21.2 mm

Edge

plain

Mints

Philadelphia - P (This was the only time a coin from the Philadelphia Mint had a mint mark before 1980.)
Denver - D
San Francisco - S

Mintage

1942
1943
1944
1945

PhiladelphiaP

P - 57,873,000
P - 271,165,000
P - 119,150,000
P - 119,408,100

Denver-D

D - 0
D - 15,294,000
D - 32,309,000
D - 37,158,000

San Francisco-S

S - 32,900,000
S - 104,060,000
S - 21,640,000
S - 58,939,000

Pre-War Composition and Mintmark Location Resume

Type	Jefferson Nickel - Pre-War Composition and Mintmark Location Resume
Designer	Felix Schlag
Years Minted	1946-2003
Weight	5 grams
Comp- osition	75% copper, 25% nickel
Diameter	approx. 21.2 mm
Edge	plain
Mints	Philadelphia - no mint mark until 1980 when the mint began using the P mint mark. Denver - D San Francisco - S

Mintage	Philadelphia	Denver- D	San Francisco- S
1946	161,116,000	D - 45,292,200	S - 13,560,000
1947	95,000,000	D - 37,822,000	S - 24,720,000
1948	89,348,000	D - 44,734,000	S - 11,300,000
1949	60,652,000	D - 36,498,000	S - 9,716,000
1950	9,796,000	D - 2,630,030	S - 0
1951	28,552,000	D - 20,460,000	S - 7,776,000
1952	63,988,000	D - 30,638,000	S - 20,572,000
1953	46,644,000	D - 59,878,600	S - 19,210,900
1954	47,684,050	D - 117,183,060	S - 29,384,000
1955	7,888,000	D - 74,464,100	S - 0
1956	35,216,000	D - 67,222,940	S - 0
1957	38,408,000	D - 136,828,900	S - 0
1958	17,088,000	D - 168,249,120	S - 0
1959	27,248,000	D - 160,738,240	S - 0
1960	55,416,000	D - 192,582,180	S - 0
1961	73,640,100	D - 229,342,760	S - 0
1962	97,384,000	D - 280,195,720	S - 0
1963	175,776,000	D - 276,829,460	S - 0
1964	1,024,672,000	D - 1,787,297,160	S - 0
1965	136,131,380	D - 0	S - 0
1966	156,208,283	D - 0	S - 0
1967	107,325,800	D - 0	S - 0
1968	0	D - 91,227,880	S - 100,396,004
1969	0	D - 202,807,500	S - 120,165,000
1970	0	D - 515,485,380	S - 238,832,004
1971	106,884,000	D - 316,144,800	S - proofs only
1972	202,036,000	D - 351,694,600	S - proofs only
1973	384,396,000	D - 261,405,000	S - proofs only
1974	601,752,000	D - 277,373,000	S - proofs only
1975	181,772,000	D - 401,875,300	S - proofs only
1976	367,124,000	D - 563,964,147	S - proofs only
1977	585,376,000	D - 297,313,422	S - proofs only
1978	391,308,000	D - 313,092,780	S - proofs only
1979	463,188,000	D - 325,867,672	S - proofs only
1980	P - 593,004,000	D - 502,323,448	S - proofs only
1981	P - 657,504,000	D - 364,801,843	S - proofs only
1982	P - 292,355,000	D - 373,726,544	S - proofs only
1983	P - 561,615,000	D - 536,726,276	S - proofs only
1984	P - 746,769,000	D - 517,675,146	S - proofs only
1985	P - 647,114,962	D - 459,747,446	S - proofs only
1986	P - 536,883,483	D - 361,819,140	S - proofs only
1987	P - 371,499,481	D - 410,590,604	S - proofs only
1988	P - 771,360,000	D - 663,771,652	S - proofs only
1989	P - 898,812,000	D - 570,842,474	S - proofs only
1990	P - 661,636,000	D - 663,938,503	S - proofs only
1991	P - 614,104,000	D - 436,496,678	S - proofs only
1992	P - 399,552,000	D - 450,565,113	S - proofs only
1993	P - 412,076,000	D - 406,084,135	S - proofs only
1994	P - 722,160,000 Special Unc. 167,703	D - 715,762,110	S - proofs only
1995	P - 774,156,000	D - 888,112,000	S - proofs only
1996	P - 829,332,000	D - 817,736,000	S - proofs only
1997	P - 470,972,000 Special Unc. 25,000	D - 466,640,000	S - proofs only
1998	P - 688,272,000	D - 635,360,000	S - proofs only
1999	P - 1,212,000,000	D - 1,066,720,000	S - proofs only
2000	P - 846,240,000	D - 1,509,520,000	S - proofs only
2001	P - 675,704,000	D - 627,680,000	S - proofs only
2002	P - 539,280,000	D - 691,200,000	S - proofs only
2003	P - 441,840,000	D - 383,040,000	S - proofs only

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2004-2005
Westward Journey
and 2006 to date
Jefferson Nickels

Type	Westward Journey Jefferson Nickels
Designer	2004 Obverse - Felix Schlag 2004 Peace Medal Reverse - Norman E. Nemeth 2004 Keelboat Reverse - Al Maletsky 2005 Obverse - Joe Fitzgerald 2005 American Bison Reverse - Jamie Franki 2005 Ocean in View Reverse - Joe Fitzgerald 2006 obverse - Jamie Franki
Years Minted	2004 to date
Weight	5 grams
Comp- osition	75% copper, 25% nickel
Diameter	approx. 21.2 mm
Edge	plain
Mints	Philadelphia - P Denver - D San Francisco - S

Mintage	Philadelphia- P	Denver- D	San Francisco- S
2004 Peace Medal	P - 361,440,000	D - 372,000,000	S - proofs only
2004 Keelboat	P - 366,720,000	D - 344,880,000	S - proofs only
2005 American Bison	P - 448,320,000	D - 487,680,000	S - proofs only
2005 Ocean in View	P - 394,080,000	D - 411,120,000	S - proofs only
2006 Monticello	P - 693,120,000	D - 809,280,000	S - proofs only
2007	P - 523,680,000	D - 591,600,000	S - 2,062,793

Important Facts for Collectors

Key Dates: 1938-D, 1938-S, 1939-D, 1939-S and the 1950-D

Overmintmarks: 1949-D/S, 1954-S/D, 1955-D/S

Overdate: 1943/2-P

Double Dies: 1939, 1945 and 2004

Full Step Nickels: Jefferson nickels that have "full steps" on the reverse sell for a premium.

1942-S with the reverse of the 1941: the rarest Jefferson Nickel. Only one is known to exist. Wouldn't it be cool to find one of those in your pocket change!