These Are the 10 Most Valuable Nickels You Could Find in Your Pocket Change

An old saying goes like this: Don’t take any wooden nickels. The idea was that if you did, you’d be stuck with something practically worthless. But is that really true?

Some coins and bills have skyrocketed in value over time thanks to their rarity — and that includes real nickels.

Over the years, American coins have come in different shapes, colors, designs, and values. Before the U.S. Mint started producing nickels in 1866, five-cent coins made of silver, called half dimes, were minted from 1792 to 1873. Today, some of those old nickels are worth a fortune — even millions.

“I helped discover one of those rare nickels that had been missing since 1962,” said Donn Pearlman, a Professional Numismatists Guild affiliate member (AF498).

The Walton specimen of the 1913 Liberty Head nickel, once owned by George O. Walton, was “incorrectly labeled a fake after it was recovered from a 1962 car crash,” Pearlman explained.

Only five 1913 Liberty Head nickels are known to exist. This particular specimen remained “lost” to collectors for nearly 41 years until it resurfaced in 2003 and was purchased by a Florida family in October 2022.

“In 2003, I developed a project to locate its whereabouts and it was authenticated as genuine in a secret midnight meeting of experts in Baltimore in July 2003. It has traded hands several times since then, most recently selling in October 2022 for $4.2 million.”

Pearlman connected GOBankingRates with the Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC), the world’s largest rare coin authentication and grading service, to compile data about the most valuable nickels.

They evaluated coins based on their unique errors or anomalies, especially rare years like 1792 and 1913, which only became more valuable over time.

Using information from NGC and the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS), GOBankingRates put together a list of the most valuable rare nickels sold at public auctions as of November 2, 2023.

While some private sales have reported even higher prices, here’s a list of the 10 most valuable nickels you might dream of finding in your pocket change.

1. 1886 Liberty Head Nickel

2. 1942 Jefferson Nickel-D/D D/Horizontal

3. 1937-D MS Buffalo Nickel

4. 1916 Doubled Die Obverse Nickel

5. 1918/7 Nickel

6. 1792 Half Dime (MS68)

7. 1792 Half Dime (MS67)

8. 1870-S Half Dime

9. 1913 Liberty Head Nickel (Proof 63)

10. 1913 Liberty Head Nickel (Proof 64)

The world of rare nickels and half dimes is full of astonishing surprises. Whether it’s a minting mistake, an overdate error, or simply extreme rarity, certain coins are highly prized by collectors—and their values show it. If you think you have an old nickel tucked away, it might be worth a second look!