1939 Jefferson Nickel Value
Mintage: 120,627,535
REVERSE OF 1938
Finest Known: MS68 (NGC) MS67+ (PCGS)
Auction Record: $1,208 (MS68)
REVERSE OF 1940
Finest Known: MS68+ (NGC) MS67+ (PCGS)
Auction Record: $1,725 (MS67)
1939 Jefferson nickel. Image: USA CoinBook
1939 was the first full year of production for the Jefferson nickel, and mintages expanded accordingly. The US Mint refreshed the original 1938 obverse master hubs to start the year, but the replacement for the mushy reverse master hub wasn’t ready until after production had already started.
The biggest change on the new reverse was sharpening and straightening the weak and curvy steps on Monticello that plagued the original master hub. Since 1939 Jefferson nickels were struck with both the old and new hubs, it was decided to call the old reverse the “Reverse of 1938” and the new reverse the “Reverse of 1940” since 1940 would be the first full year it was used.
Image: PCGS
The Value of A 1939 Jefferson Nickel
There were relatively few “Reverse of 1938” 1939 Jefferson nickels produced compared to the Reverse of 1940 type, but with a mintage of 120 million coins, that still amounted to many millions. The new reverse meant that it was more likely that a nickel would be struck with Full Steps.
1939 (Reverse of 1938) Jefferson Nickel Price Guide
| Very Fine | Extremely Fine | About Uncirculated |
|---|---|---|
| FV | $1 | $1 |
| Mint State 61 | Mint State 63 | Mint State 65 | Auction Record (MS68) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $2 | $10 | $28 | $1,208 |
1939 (Reverse of 1938) Full Steps Jefferson Nickel Price Guide
Finest Known: MS68 FS (NGC) MS67+ FS (PCGS)
Auction Record: $5,288 (MS67+ FS)
| Mint State 61 FS | Mint State 63 FS | Mint State 65 FS | Auction Record (MS67+ FS) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $11 | $22 | $125 | $5,288 |
1939 (Reverse of 1940) Jefferson Nickel Price Guide
| Very Fine | Extremely Fine | About Uncirculated |
|---|---|---|
| $2 | $4 | $5 |
| Mint State 61 | Mint State 63 | Mint State 65 | Auction Record (MS67) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $7 | $14 | $35 | $1,725 |
1939 (Reverse of 1940) Full Steps Jefferson Nickel Price Guide
Finest Known: MS67+ FS (NGC) MS68 FS (PCGS)
Auction Record: $23,500 (MS68 FS)
| Mint State 61 FS | Mint State 63 FS | Mint State 65 FS | Auction Record (MS68 FS) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $10 | $22 | $57 | $23,500 |
The information on this page does not constitute an offer to buy or sell the coin(s) referred to. Proof and prooflike examples of this issue may have greater or lesser "finest known" and different record auction prices.