Rare 2016 Nickel Errors Worth Money (Full List)

Are you a Jefferson fan and want to add 2016 nickels to your collection? Or perhaps you are new to coin collecting and wonder if 2016 Jefferson nickels are worth collecting. You’ve come to the right place where you will learn about the most valuable nickels of 2016 to collect.

According to the Numismatic Guarantee Company, a 2016 nickel is worth between ^^^ and &&& in circulated condition. Many of the nickels you will come across in the series will be only worth their face value, which as you can see is quite low.

The good news is you can start collecting errors and significantly improve the value of your coin collection. As you will discover from our 2016 nickel errors list, error coins can be affordable; you don’t have to break the bank when collecting them—the best part is that they are worth so much more than face value.

So, without further ado lets jump in and discover 2016 nickel errors worth money.

1. 2016-P MS63 Jefferson Nickel Obverse Lamination Error

A lamination error originates from the planchet-making process when impurities contaminate the metal used to make blank planchets. The presence of impurities can create weak points in the metal resulting in peeling.

A coin with a lamination error will show some peeling in the form of relatively deep gouges on the obverse or reverse.

When collecting 2016 Jefferson nickels, look out for examples with a lamination error, appearing as large peeled portions.

In 2020, the Great Collections auctioned a 2016-P nickel graded MS63 with an obverse lamination error for $435, a really impressive fete. This sale tells you that such an error coin could be an excellent addition to your collection.

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Also read: Top 10 Most Valuable Nickels Worth Money

 

2. 2016-D MS65 Jefferson Nickel Five Full Steps

One of the great attractions of collecting Jefferson nickels is the so-called Full Steps. Full Steps refers to the steps leading to the Monticello as appears on the reverse of the nickel.

A Jefferson nickel with five or six full steps is quite rare—all five or six steps are well cutout and can be seen clearly with the naked eye.

The Full Step phenomenon is not necessarily an error but so unique is it that collectors consider it a prized rarity and eagerly seek it out. You should certainly consider yourself lucky if you come across a five or six Full Steps Jefferson nickel.

So, how much should you expect for such a coin? Well, during a 2017 Heritage Auction sale, a 2016-D Jefferson nickel graded MS65 with Five Full Steps was sold for a whopping $500, making this an excellent add to your nickel collection.

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3. 2016-P MS60 Jefferson Nickel Improperly Annealed Sintered Error

Annealing is a process in the planchet-making process where heat and cold are introduced interchangeably to mold and harden the planchet ready for coin-making.

A discrepancy in the amount of heat or cold can result in improperly annealing, causing the thick copper layer to peel off the coin. An annealed coin will typically have one side with a complete, outer copper layer and the other side could be colors such as gray, brown, black, and even red.

Jefferson nickels are particularly prone to the improperly annealed error so finding examples of this coin is relatively easy if you know what to look for.

A 2016-P Jefferson nickel graded MS60 with an improperly annealed sintered planchet error was sold in 2018 at an eBay auction for $255.

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4. 2016-D MS62 Scarface Jefferson Nickel Obverse Die Crack

Another common error you might across when collecting 2016 Jefferson nickels is the die crack. As the name suggests, a die crack is an error that occurs when there is a split in the die due to wear and tear. If the die continues to be put to use, the crack or split fills with metal.

When the cracked die strikes the planchet, the metal-filled crack leaves its impression on the coin’s surface. On the final coin, the die crack appears like small gouges occurring on the obverse or reverse.

 All in all, die cracks are small errors and may not always fetch a premium. That said, if the crack is uniquely positioned or forms a unique appearance, it could be quite interesting to collectors and may significantly increase in value.

For example, the so-called “scarface” nickel is one in which a die crack appears on Jefferson’s face, specifically his cheek area. Due to the pop-culture reference, the scarface nickel is quite popular among collectors.

One such specimen, graded MS62 was auctioned for $105 at a 2020 Heritage Auctions sale.

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Also read: Top 17 Most Valuable Buffalo Nickel Worth Money

 

5. 2016-P MS60 Jefferson Nickel Die Chip Error

A die chip is a bit similar to a die crack although the appearance may be slightly different. Like a die crack, a die chip occurs when a small piece of metal breaks off the surface of the die leaving a small hole which is eventually filled with metal.

When the die strikes the coin, the small metal-filled hole leaves its impression on the planchet’s surface. On the final coin, a die chip appears like a small raised bump.

Die chips can take various forms and shapes. A coin with a peculiar, odd or unique die chip will typically be worth more although other factors such as the coin’s condition will come into play.

A 2016-P Jefferson nickel graded MS60 with a die chip error was auctioned for $110 at a 2017 eBay auction.

 

6. 2016-P MS65 Jefferson Nickel Off-Center Strike and Partial Collar Error

Partial collar is when the planchet is only partially deployed in the collar so that when the die strikes, the collar sits on the planchet and leaves its impression in the form of a curved line on the coin’s surface. A partial collar error will appear somewhat like a crescent on part of the coin.

On the other hand, an off-center strike is one in which the die fails to strike the design squarely on the planchet. This results in the coin having an obverse or reverse design that is slightly shifted toward the edges.

Often an off-center strike results in some of the coin’s design details missing. The extent of missing details and the percentage of off-ness will greatly influence the coin’s value.

For example, a nickel with a 5% off-center strike will generally be more valuable than one with a 5% off-center value. Of course, other factors such as the condition will contribute to the coin’s value.

During a 2018 eBay sale, a collector paid $220 for a 2016-P Jefferson nickel graded MS65 with an off-center strike and partial collar error. So, such a coin could be a worthwhile addition to your collection.

 

7. 2016-D MS63 Jefferson Nickel Indented Strike Error Coin

An indented strike error occurs when a coin receives a normal strike at first. But upon the second strike, the coin gets covered by another planchet, resulting in the two planchets being struck together.

You might come across terms such as ‘’full uniface strike’’ or “uniface strike,” all which refer to the indented strike error.

To identify an indented strike error, you will notice that the coin will have an indented area resulting from the coin being struck, covered by another planchet and then struck again.

An indented strike is one of the most dramatic errors you will come across when collecting 2016 nickels. So how much can you expect from such an error?

Well, in 2017, Heritage Auctions sold a 2016-D Jefferson nickel graded MS63 with an indented strike error for $115.

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Also read: Top 17 Most Valuable Jefferson Nickels Worth Money

 

8. 2016-P MS60 Nickel Improperly Annealed Planchet Error

Another error you might come across is the improperly annealed planchet error. Annealing is the process of heating and cooling the metal used to make planchets. Impurities and any fluctuations in the process may cause (dis) coloration of the planchet/final coin.

An improperly annealed nickel will take on different colors, with some coins obtaining a purple, grey, black, yellow, or red hue.

If you come across a 2016 nickel showing diverse colors or a single color that’s different from the nickel color you know, it is probably an improperly annealed planchet error coin.

A collector paid $130 at an online auction in 2020 for a Jefferson nickel with an improperly annealed planchet error.

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9. 2016-P MS64 Jefferson Nickel Struck Through Grease Error

A grease struck through error occurs when some grease comes between the planchet and die. When the die strikes, the grease obstructs the design from being transferred onto the planchet, creating blank spots on the final coin.

There are different types of struck-through errors but all involve a foreign object being struck between the die and planchet.

The value of a struck-through error coin will largely depend on how dramatic the error is. The more dramatic or peculiar the error, the more valuable it likely will be.

A 2016-P Jefferson nickel graded MS64 with a struck-through grease error was sold for $105 at a Heritage Auctions sale in 2020.

Also read: 14 Most Valuable Nickel Errors Worth Money

 

Summary

Jefferson nickels may not be as popular as other collectible US coins. Still, with the right picks, collecting these little nickels can be rewarding. As our 2016 nickel errors list shows, uncirculated coins with known errors can be worth so much more than face value. Whether you are just getting started or are in the process of building your Jefferson nickels collection, adding high worth errors to your stacks would be a game changer.