1944 Jefferson Nickel
The 1944 Jefferson Nickel had a larger mintage of over 119 million coins struck at the Philadelphia Mint. While this was a larger mintage, it was much smaller than the 271 million coins struck at this location the previous year. The 1944 Jefferson Nickel was part of the wartime “silver” nickels. The military needed nickel for ammunition, so the composition shift of coins between 1942 and 1945 was copper, silver, and manganese. These wartime nickels featured the enlarged mint marks on the reverse of the coins above the dome of the Monticello. This Philadelphia minted coin even had the “P” mint mark, with these coins being the first to display the P on any American coin. The large mint mark makes the wartime coins easy to distinguish from the non silver versions.
History of the 1944 Thomas Jefferson Nickel
The 1944 Thomas Jefferson Nickel is a unique part of history. They aren’t really found in circulation anymore due to the high value of the silver in them, and the demand from collectors. This special coin was designed by Felix Schlag originally, after winning a design competition for the coin. The obverse shows a left-facing profile of Thomas Jefferson while the reverse depicts his Monticello home. The coins are readily available in most Mint State grades between about MS60 and MS66, selling for around $25, but become much more scarce in Mint State 67.
1944 Jefferson Nickel Value
The 1944 Jefferson Nickel value ranges from around $7,400 to $9,400 for the highest Mint State and Full Step grades of the coin. This is a higher cost than some of the others in the series, but well worth the effort to find for those serious collectors. It’s possible to build a very affordable Jefferson Nickel collection by seeking out lower Mint State coins. This unique coin would make an attractive addition to the Jefferson Nickel series.
Type of coin: Nickel
Year: 1944 Jefferson Nickel
Jefferson Nickel Mint Mark: Philadelphia
Total mintage: 119,150,000
Metal content: 56% Copper, 35% Silver, 9% Manganese
Face value: 5 Cents
Weight: 5.00 grams
Edge: Plain
Designer: Felix Schlag
Diameter: 21.20 millimeters