1964 Nickel Value Guide

The 1964 Nickel Value

1964 nickels (also known as Jefferson nickels) remain consistent in value across grades and minting location for circulation strikes until they get into the mint-state grades.

Nickels with the full-steps special designation increase in value, with the Denver version being generally more valuable than the Philadelphia version.

Specimen strikes are the most valuable, while proof coins are generally more valuable than the circulation ones, except for the higher mint-state grades.

An N/A for a value below indicates no publicly known examples of that version of the coin with that grade, or no value information (or not enough) exists for it yet.

Additionally, all values are conservative estimates based on research. Please note all values are subject to change due to the market or circumstances unaccounted for during research and publication. We always recommend doing further research or consulting with a professional.

Melt Value

The 1964 nickel’s melt value is approximately negligible. The melt value will fluctuate with the market.

Circulation Strike Value Chart

	1-6,9,10
Grade Names	1964 Nickel	1964-D Nickel
Good – G	$0.05	$0.05
Very Good – VG	$0.05	$0.05
Fine – F	$0.05	$0.05
Very Fine – VF	$0.05	$0.05
Extra Fine – XF	$0.05	$0.05
About Uncirculated – AU	$0.05-$0.10	$0.05-$0.10
Mint State – MS	$1-$825 (67)	$1-$1,100 (67)

Circulation Strike Five Full Steps (5FS) Value Chart

	Coin Names And Coin Values
Grade Names	1964 Five Full Steps Nickel	1964-D Five Full Steps Nickel
MS 60 5FS	N/A	N/A
MS 61 5FS	N/A	N/A
MS 62 5FS	N/A	N/A
MS 63 5FS	$22	$25
MS 64 5FS	$72	$47
MS 65 5FS	$152	$517
MS 66 5FS	$800	$1,200
MS 67 5FS	$7,100	$1,300
MS 68 5FS	N/A	N/A
MS 69 5FS	N/A	N/A
MS 70 5FS	N/A	N/A

Circulation Strike Six Full Steps (6FS) Value Chart

	Coin Names And Coin Values
Grade Names	1964 Six Full Steps Nickel	1964-D Six Full Steps Nickel
MS 60 6FS	N/A	N/A
MS 61 6FS	N/A	N/A
MS 62 6FS	N/A	N/A
MS 63 6FS	N/A	N/A
MS 64 6FS	$85	$52
MS 65 6FS	$207	$675
MS 66 6FS	$1,200	$2,800
MS 67 6FS	$10,000	N/A
MS 68 6FS	N/A	N/A
MS 69 6FS	N/A	N/A
MS 70 6FS	N/A	N/A

Specimen Strike (SP) Value Chart

1964 Specimen Nickel
Grade Names	Coin Values
SP 60	N/A
SP 61	N/A
SP 62	N/A
SP 63	N/A
SP 64	N/A
SP 65	$2,200
SP 66	$3,100
SP 67	$4,900
SP 68	$14,000
SP 69	N/A
SP 70	N/A

Proof Strike (PR) Value Chart

1964 Proof Nickel
Grade Names	Coin Values
PR 60	N/A
PR 61	N/A
PR 62	N/A
PR 63	N/A
PR 64	$8
PR 65	$11
PR 66	$15
PR 67	$18
PR 68	$23
PR 69	$44
PR 70	$500

Cameo (CA/CAM) Proof Strike (PR) Value Chart

1964 Cameo Proof Nickel
Grade Names	Coin Values
PR 60 CA/CAM	N/A
PR 61 CA/CAM	N/A
PR 62 CA/CAM	N/A
PR 63 CA/CAM	N/A
PR 64 CA/CAM	$12
PR 65 CA/CAM	$16
PR 66 CA/CAM	$18
PR 67 CA/CAM	$22
PR 68 CA/CAM	$35
PR 69 CA/CAM	$56
PR 70 CA/CAM	N/A

Ultra/Deep Cameo (UC/DCAM) Proof Strike (PR) Value Chart

1964 Ultra/Deep Cameo Proof Nickel
Grade Names	Coin Values
PR 60 UC/DCAM	N/A
PR 61 UC/DCAM	N/A
PR 62 UC/DCAM	N/A
PR 63 UC/DCAM	N/A
PR 64 UC/DCAM	$20
PR 65 UC/DCAM	$21
PR 66 UC/DCAM	$23
PR 67 UC/DCAM	$32
PR 68 UC/DCAM	$55
PR 69 UC/DCAM	$260
PR 70 UC/DCAM	N/A

What Makes A 1964 Nickel Valuable?

1964 nickels have several factors making them valuable or adding to their value. These include grading, rarity, minting location, strike type, special designation, and whether or not they’re error coins or die varieties.

Let’s start with grading.

Grading

Higher grades increase the value of 1964 Jefferson nickels, just as they do for other coins.

However, non-full-steps (FS) nickels see marginal or no increases in value for their circulation-strike versions until the mint-state grades.

FS nickels quickly get into the hundreds and then thousands. Specimens start in the thousands and jump up to over $10,000. Proof coins hover in the tens for most of their grades, even for their cameo and ultra/deep cameo versions.

Rarity

The Mint minted 1964 nickels approximately 2,815,919,922 times across all of its versions. Please see the following list for the breakdown for each version:

• 1964: 1,024,672,000 minted in Philadelphia^1,3
• 1964-D: 1,787,297,160 minted in Denver^2,4
• 1964 Proof: 3,950,762 minted in Philadelphia^5,6
• 1964 Specimen: True amount unknown^9,10

Overall, this coin has an extremely high mintage (nearly 3 billion!). In fact, this mintage is the highest of all nickels.

However, the specimen nickels’ extreme rarity significantly adds to their value. Additionally, the rarity of the higher grades (plus whether or not they have a full steps special designation) adds to their value, too.

Mint Marks

The Mint minted 1964 nickels in Philadelphia and Denver.^1-4

Generally, Denver nickels are worth more than Philadelphia nickels. However, there are some exceptions, such as a 5FS MS 67 Philadelphia nickel being far more valuable than the same Denver nickel.

Strike Types

1964 Jefferson nickels have three strike types: circulation, specimen, and proof.^13,14

The Mint intended the public to use circulation-strike 1964 nickels in everyday transactions. Therefore, the process of making them was not as high-quality as for specimen or proof strikes. Additionally, these coins show wear from the aforementioned everyday use.

Still, higher mint-state grade circulation-strike coins can bring in hundreds if not thousands of dollars. They’ll bring in even more if they’re a 5FS or 6FS nickel (more on that in the “Special Designations” section below).

Specimen 1964 nickels are quite rare. Not much is known about them, including their minting amount.

Specimen 1964 nickels are this coin’s most valuable of the three strike types.

Proof-strike 1964 nickels are worth more than circulation-strikes in all cases except the highest mint-state grades. The Mint made these coins with greater care and quality, but they made millions of them. This makes them less rare than other proof coins.

There are also cameo and ultra/deep cameo proofs for this coin. These increase in value from regular proof nickels.

Design Variations

The 1964 nickel has no design variations.

Special Designations

The 1964 nickel has one special designation: full steps.^15,16

This special designation refers to how many complete steps the Monticello has on the coin’s reverse side, expressed as either five full steps (5FS) or six full steps (6FS).

Full steps must have no interruptions and be clearly visible. 

Both five and six full steps make 1964 nickels more valuable, with six full steps being more valuable than five.

Error Coins

Striking errors are common for 1964 nickels.^17,18  Examples include but are not limited to:

• Struck off-center errors
• Broadstrike errors
• Multi-strike errors
• Struck-through errors

Additionally, the Mint struck some 1964 nickels on the wrong planchet (the blank metal disk that becomes the coin). For example, you may find a 1964 nickel design on a penny or dime planchet.

All of these errors add value to a 1964 nickel, either by the tens or hundreds.

Die Varieties

The 1964 D/D nickel is the only die variety for this coin.¹⁹

This variety refers to a 1964 nickel with a repunched “D” mint mark. 

This die variety adds significant value to a 1964 nickel, easily reaching thousands and even tens of thousands of dollars.

Composition

1964 nickels are 75% copper and 25% nickel. This does not add to their value nor make them valuable in terms of melting them down.

We recommend against melting them down anyway (as we do for all coins). You will likely see more value from selling them than from melting them down.

How Do You Know If You Have A Valuable 1964 Nickel?

The best way to know if you have a valuable coin and to get that value out of it is to have it professionally certified.

However, you can look for many elements to get you started in determining what coin you have.

Let’s start with grading.

Grading

For 1964 nickels, you’re only concerned with the mint-state grades. In other words, you’re looking for coins with no wear, the highest luster, and the best strike quality. 

This range varies, of course, but even an MS 60 coin should show no signs of use.

Mint Marks

Look on the reverse side of your 1964 Jefferson nickel to determine its minting location.

A small “D” mint mark to the right of Monticello indicates Denver minted the coin.

The absence of a mint mark indicates Philadelphia minted the coin.

Strike Types

Circulation-strike 1964 nickels have a lower strike quality, less luster, and likely show signs of wear.

Specimen-strike 1964 nickels have a higher strike quality and a satin-like finish.

Proof-strike 1964 nickels have incredible detail and luster. 

Specimen-, proof-, and mint-state circulation-strike coins should not show signs of wear.

Design Variations

1964 nickels have no design variations.

Special Designations

You’ll need magnification to determine if your 1964 nickel qualifies for the 5FS or 6FS special designations. 

Look carefully to ensure you’re seeing five or six fully visible and uninterrupted steps. It’s a good sign that your nickel qualifies if you do. However, you’ll still need to consult with a professional to officially certify your coin.

Error Coins

Look for the following to determine if your 1964 nickel qualifies as one of the below error coins.

Struck off-center error coins feature an uncentered, incomplete design. The more off-center the design is, the more percentage it was off-struck. 

Broadstrike error coins are easy to spot because the coin will be larger than normal. This is due to the Mint striking the coin without a collar. Collars limit how much a planchet expands during striking, so the coin expands if one isn’t used or present.

Multi-strike errors often result in repeated design elements, either in part or in whole.²⁰ 

Struck-through errors occur when the die strikes through something to the coin. For example, the die could strike through a material like cloth. This effectively impresses part of whatever was struck through to the coin.

Wrong cent errors are also easy to determine because your coin will be the wrong size, color, or both. 

For example, a 1964 nickel struck on a penny planchet will be smaller than a normal nickel and have a coppery color.

Die Varieties

Look on the reverse side of your 1964 nickel to determine if you have the D/D die variety.^2,19

You may need magnification to get a good idea of what nickel you have, but you’re looking only at the “D” mint mark. Specifically, compare the mint mark to a normal 1964-D nickel’s mint mark. Does yours look the same, or does it look thicker? 

A thicker “D” mint mark can indicate a repunched nickel, as normal mint marks are thinner. However, you’ll need professional assistance to certify your coin as the D/D die variety.

Additional Information About The 1964 Nickel

History

1964 Jefferson nickels (named so for featuring President Thomas Jefferson) have the highest minting amount of all nickels because the United States was facing a coin shortage. 

To combat this, Congress took several steps, including minting nickels with that date into 1965 and even 1966. In other words, Congress issued a date freeze for the coin.

1964 was also the final year the Mint put mint marks on coins until 1968.

The Mint also eliminated proof coins and replaced them with special mint sets for the same time period.

^{Sources: 1,21-23}

The Coin’s Obverse Side

The 1964 nickel’s obverse side features President Thomas Jefferson’s profile facing to the left. His profile fills nearly all of this side.

The words “In God We Trust” curve along the rim to his left. 

The word “Liberty” curves along the rim to his right. A single star separates this from the year 1964.

^{Sources: 1,3}

The Coin’s Reverse Side

The 1964 nickel’s reverse side features Thomas Jefferson’s home, Monticello, as that side’s centerpiece. The word “Monticello” sits just beneath it.

The Denver version features a “D” mint mark just to the right of the building.

The words “Five Cents” curve beneath Monticello, and the words “United States Of America” curve beneath those along the rim.

The words “E Pluribus Unum” curve along the top rim. They mean “Out of many, one,” and they’re the United States’ motto.

^{Sources: 1-4}

Sources

1964 Nickel Value Guide Sources