There’s an old saying, “Don’t take any wooden nickels,” implying that you could end up with something essentially worthless. But is that always true?
Some coins, including real nickels, have dramatically increased in value over time due to their rarity.
Over the years, U.S. coins have come in many forms—different sizes, colors, designs, and values. Before the U.S. Mint began producing nickels in 1866, five-cent coins made of silver, known as half dimes, were minted from 1792 to 1873. Today, some of these older nickels are worth a small fortune—sometimes millions of dollars.
“I helped discover one of those rare nickels that had been missing since 1962,” said Donn Pearlman, a member of the Professional Numismatists Guild (AF498).
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The Walton specimen of the 1913 Liberty Head nickel, once owned by George O. Walton, was “incorrectly labeled as a fake after it was recovered from a 1962 car crash,” explained Pearlman.
Only five 1913 Liberty Head nickels are known to exist. This particular specimen stayed “lost” to collectors for almost 41 years until it was rediscovered in 2003 and later purchased by a Florida family in October 2022.
“In 2003, I initiated a project to track its location, and it was authenticated in a secret midnight meeting of experts in Baltimore in July 2003,” Pearlman shared. “It has since changed hands several times, most recently selling in October 2022 for $4.2 million.”
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Pearlman also connected GOBankingRates with the Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC), the world’s largest rare coin authentication and grading service, to gather insights into the most valuable nickels.
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Together, NGC and the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) evaluated coins for their unique errors or anomalies, particularly for rare years like 1792 and 1913, which have only gained value over time.
Using data from NGC and PCGS, GOBankingRates compiled a list of the most valuable rare nickels sold at public auctions as of November 2, 2023.
Although private sales have seen even higher prices, here are the 10 most valuable nickels that could make a collector’s dream come true.
- 1886 Liberty Head Nickel
- Rare Features: Uncirculated value up to $65,000
- Proof Grade: Mint State 67
- Sold By: Superior Galleries
- Last Auction Date: February 2002
- Auction Price: $12,650
- 1942 Jefferson Nickel-D/D D/Horizontal
- Rare Features: A repunched mint mark, with a vertical “D” over a horizontal “D”
- Proof Grade: Mint State 64
- Sold By: Heritage Auctions
- Last Auction Date: January 2006
- Auction Price: $32,200
- 1937-D MS Buffalo Nickel
- Rare Features: Famous “three-legged buffalo” error
- Proof Grade: Mint State 68
- Sold By: Stack’s Bowers
- Last Auction Date: March 2015
- Auction Price: $35,250
- 1916 Doubled Die Obverse Nickel
- Rare Features: Doubling visible on the letters
- Proof Grade: Mint State 64
- Sold By: Heritage Auctions
- Last Auction Date: September 21, 2005
- Auction Price: $264,500
- 1918/7 Nickel
- Rare Features: Overdate error where an “8” is struck over a “7”
- Proof Grade: Mint State 65
- Sold By: Heritage Auctions
- Last Auction Date: January 6, 2010
- Auction Price: $264,500
- 1792 Half Dime (MS68)
- Proof Grade: Mint State 68
- Sold By: Stack’s Bowers
- Last Auction Date: January 1, 2013
- Auction Price: $1,145,625
- 1792 Half Dime (MS67)
- Proof Grade: Mint State 67
- Sold By: Heritage Auctions
- Last Auction Date: January 14, 2013
- Auction Price: $1,410,000
- 1870-S Half Dime
- Proof Grade: 64
- Sold By: Heritage Auctions
- Last Auction Date: January 15, 2023
- Auction Price: $3,120,000
- 1913 Liberty Head Nickel (Proof 63)
- Rare Features: One of the five known 1913 Liberty Head nickels
- Proof Grade: Proof 63
- Sold By: Heritage Auctions
- Last Auction Date: April 28, 2013
- Auction Price: $3,172,500
- 1913 Liberty Head Nickel (Proof 64)
- Rare Features: One of the five known 1913 Liberty Head nickels
- Proof Grade: Proof 64
- Sold By: Heritage Auctions
- Last Auction Date: January 6, 2010
- Auction Price: $3,737,500
Quick Takeaway
The world of rare nickels and half dimes is full of incredible surprises. Whether it’s a minting mistake, an overdate error, or simply extreme rarity, certain coins are highly sought after by collectors—and their values reflect this. So, if you have an old nickel in your collection, it might be worth taking a closer look!