1964-D Jefferson Nickel

The 1964-D Jefferson Nickel had a total mintage of over 1.7 billion coins struck at the Denver Mint. This was the largest mintage of nickels ever struck by the United States Mint, and is an incredible number of coins produced. It was also the first coin ever struck that had over a billion coins created. Although it has an unbelievable amount of coins struck, it is one of the toughest dates to locate in the highest grades. Quality wasn’t top of mind when creating these coins, and the Jefferson Nickels produced during the 1960’s at the Denver Mint were notorious for being poorly struck. While only about 5 known examples exist of this coin with the Full Step designation, with such a large mintage it is likely that more are out there.

History of the 1964-D Jefferson Nickel

The 1964-D Jefferson Nickel is a coin that collectors definitely want to cherrypick to find the best examples possible for the price. With over 1.7 billion coins created, it’s likely that there are some gorgeous coins just waiting to be found. The Denver Mint was using worn out dies for many of the coins during this decade which resulted in a weak strike on the reverse, along with surface abrasions like nicks and scratches. Felix Schlag designed the original Jefferson Nickel and his designs featured a profile of Thomas Jefferson on the obverse of the coin, and his Monticello plantation home on the reverse. The ‘D’ mint mark can also be found beside the Monticello. The Full Step distinction is given when the steps leading up to the Monticello are distinctly separated and sharply struck.