What is the value of a 1943 US nickel?

Answer 1

"War nickels" were made of an alloy of copper, silver, and manganese to save nickel for the war effort. Look on the back over Monticello's dome for the mint mark - these coins used a large letter to differentiate them from their cupro-nickel predecessors. there may be a P, D, or S.

War nickels were the only coins before 1979 to use a P mint mark for Philadelphia. They were also the only nickels that ever contained silver. All other years from 1866 to 1942 and 1946 to the present contain only nickel and copper.

Numismedia lists the following approximate retail values as of 09/2011:

No mint mark (Philadelphia):

Very worn condition - $2.40

Moderately worn - $2.64

Slightly worn - $2.76

Almost no wear - $3.10

Uncirculated - $3.48 to $2220.00 depending on quality

"D" mint mark (Denver):

Very worn - $2.40

Moderately worn - $2.64

Slightly worn - $2.76

Almost no wear - $3.10

Uncirculated - $3.48 to $2220.00

"S" mint mark (San Francisco):

Very worn - $2.40

Moderately worn - $2.64

Slightly worn - $2.76

Almost no wear - $3.10

Uncirculated - $3.48 to $70.20

Philadelphia, 3 struck over 2:

Very worn - $24.00

Moderately worn - $46.00

Slightly worn - $66.70

Almost no wear - $150.70

Uncirculated - $230.00 to $5690.00

DISCLAIMER: The retail values quoted are the best available as of the date shown, but may vary significantly due to changes in the precious metals market. Also the wholesale (buying) price of a coin will be less than the selling (retail) price. A reputable coin dealer will be able to give a more accurate valuation based on inspection of the coin.

Many of the 1943 nickels are worth a price between $6 and $8 each. The exact price of the coin will depend upon the condition of the coin. Wartime nickels From mid-1942 to 1945, so-called "Wartime" composition nickels were created. These coins are 56% copper, 35% silver and 9% manganese. The only other U.S. coins to use manganese are the Sacagawea and presidential dollars. These coins are usually a bit darker than regular nickels, said to be due to their manganese content (as was true of many British Coins minted from 1920 through 1947). However, carefully-protected proof sets of these coins are difficult to tell from the standard alloy. A more likely reason for the darker appearance of the wartime coin was due to exposure to sulfur during circulation, which invariably gave the coins a mild and somewhat distinctive dark silver tarnish.[citation needed] The wartime nickel features the largest mint mark ever to grace a United States coin, located above Monticello's dome on the reverse. This mark was a large D or S if appropriate for those mints, but nickels of this series minted in Philadelphia have the unique distinction of being the only U.S. coins minted prior to 1979 to bear a P mint mark. There are eleven coins in the regular series (plus a moderately scarce overdate, the 1943/2-P), and they can be purchased in circulated condition at low cost. When the price of silver rose in the 1960s the "war nickels" quickly disappeared from circulation, a process often aided by their distinctive silver-tarnish appearance, which sometimes appeared in banded form from contact of coins with sulfur-containing elastic bands in pockets. An unofficial variety of the wartime coin dated 1944 was made in 1954 when counterfeit nickels were produced by Francis LeRoy Henning of Erial, New Jersey. He had previously been arrested for counterfeiting $5 bills. The 1944 nickels were quickly spotted since Henning neglected to add the large mintmark. [1] He also made counterfeit nickels dated 1939, 1946, 1947, and possibly 1953 as well as one other unidentified date [2]. It is estimated that more than 100,000 of Henning's nickels reached circulation. These can still be found in pocket change, and there is a thriving collectors' market for them, although owning a counterfeit is technically illegal. Henning dumped another 200,000 nickels in Cooper Creek, New Jersey, of which only 14,000 were recovered. Another 200,000 are thought to have been dumped in the Schuylkill River. When caught, Henning was sentenced to 3 years in jail, and was required to pay a $5,000 fine.

Answer 2

A 1943 US nickel is typically worth about 56 cents to $1. However, some rare versions made from a different metal alloy are worth thousands of dollars. These rare versions can be identified by a large P, D, or S mint mark above Monticello on the reverse side.