Coin Value Contents Table
Are you building out your nickel collection and are curious about the 1913 nickel? This Liberty Head nickel is one of the most fascinating in the history of U.S. and world coins. Whether you are a seasoned collector or just starting your journey, our guide to the 1913 nickel value will explain everything you need to know about this mysterious coin.
With only five known specimens in existence, the 1913 Liberty Head nickel has captivated collectors for decades. Why were they produced? No one knowns for sure, making this nickel even more fascinating. In this guide, we will explore the history of this extraordinary coin, discover features that set it apart, tips for identifying authentic examples pieces, and key things to keep in mind when collecting this rare Liberty Head nickel.
So, without further ado, let’s get into it—how much is the 1913 nickel worth?
1913 Liberty Nickel Head Value Chart |
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Specimen Name | Grade | Latest Sale Price | Year Sold |
Eliasberg Specimen | PR66 | $4,560,000 | 2018 |
Olsen Specimen | PR64 | $3,290,000 | 2013 |
Walton Specimen | PR63 | $3,737,500 | 2010 |
McDermott Specimen | PR62 | $1,485,000 | 1996 |
Norweb Specimen | PR63 | Unknown (Private Sale) | N/A |
History of the 1913 Nickel
The 1913 nickel was never officially released into circulation. With only five known specimens in existence, the origin of this coin is shrouded in mystery. The year 1912 was the final year of the production of the Liberty Head nickel, which would then be replaced by the Buffalo nickels the following year. So, the fact that Liberty Head nickels were minted in 1913, most likely at the Philadelphia Mint, is highly unusual and fascinating at the same time.
Over the years, collectors have tried figuring out the origin of the 1913 nickel. The widely accepted theory is that a mint employee, discovered to be Samuel W. Brown, struck the nickels illegally to create rare coins that he would later sell for a fortune, which he indeed did. All five specimen have been sold and resold multiple times, each attracting premium prices with one of them even selling for more than $5 million.
The five specimens are named after their respective buyers and include the Eliasberg, Olsen, Norweb, McDermott, and Walton specimen. The 1913 nickel has earned the coveted title of the first U.S. coin to be sold for more than $100,000.
Also read: Top 10 Most Valuable Nickels Worth Money
Features of the 1913 Nickel
The 1913 nickel resembles the earlier Liberty Head nickels but its rarity and some subtle details make it stand out.
Obverse of the 1913 Nickel
The front side of the 1913 nickel feature Lady Liberty’s profile with her hair tied back and a coronet with the word LIBERTY crowns her head.
Liberty’s profile is encircled by thirteen stars representing the early 13 American colonies. The date 1913 appears below her profile.
Reverse of the 1913 Nickel
On the reverse, there is a prominent display of the letter “V” representing the Roman numeral for five. This symbolizes the coin’s denomination.
A wreath of corn, cotton, and wheat leaves surrounds the V, a nod to the country’s agricultural success. The inscriptions UNITED STATES OF AMERICA appear in an arc around half of the coin’s edge followed by the inscriptions E PLURIBUS UNUM in smaller fonts.
The coin’s denomination spelt in full, CENT, appears along the lower edge.
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Other Features of the 1913 Nickel
Additional features of the 1913 nickel that set it apart include:
- Diameter:2 millimeters
- Weight: 5 grams
- Edge: Smooth
- Metal composition: 75% copper and 25% nickel
Like other Liberty Head nickels minted at the Philadelphia Mint, the 1913 nickels do not have a mintmark either on the obverse or reverse.
Also read: Top 17 Most Valuable Buffalo Nickel Worth Money
1913 Nickel Value Guides
Each of the five 1913 nickels are named after its early owner. Over the years, though, these coins have changed ownership many times, with each sale setting a new record price.
In this section, we’ll explore each of the 1913 nickel specimen and discover their value. The five include:
- Eliasberg specimen
- Olsen-Hydeman specimen
- Norweb specimen
- Walton specimen
- McDermott-Bebee specimen
Now, let’s take a closer look at each of these famous coins.
1913 Nickel Eliasberg Specimen
The Eliasberg specimen is graded PR66 and is the finest of all the five 1913 Liberty Head nickels. Two of the coins’ early buyers, Eric P. Newman and B. G. Johnson, sold this proof nickel to the Numismatic Gallery who then sold it to, Louis Eliasberg, a renowned collector after whom the coin was named.
Eliasberg retained possession of the coin until after his death after which the Eliasberg specimen was auctioned by Bowers and Merena to Jay Parrino, another famed rarity collector, for a whopping $1,485,000, making this the most expensive coin at the time.
The Eliasberg was auctioned severally afterwards. In 2001, a collector bought it for $1,840,000. In 2005, the Legend Numismatics paid $4,150,000 for the Eliasberg nickel and then sold in 2007 for a staggering $5 million to an unnamed collector. This coin was last traded in 2018 when it was bought for $4.6 million at a Stack’s Bowers auction.
1913 Nickel Olsen-Hydeman Specimen
Having been featured in the popular series, Hawaii Five-O in 1973, and once owned by Egypt’s King Farouk, the Olsen-Hydeman specimen is the most famous of the 1913 Liberty Head nickels.
Newman and Johnson first sold this coin to collectors Fred Olsen and James Kelly, who then sold it to King Farouk but the coin retained Olsen’s name.
In 1972, the World Wide Coin Investments sold the Olsen specimen for $100,000 and its price rose to $200,000 when the Superior Galleries bought it in 1978. Like others in the 1913 nickel Liberty Head series, the Olsen Specimen has been resold severally, each time increasing in value.
At one time, collector Dwight Manley paid $3,000,000, after which several other collectors acquired the nickel including Bruce Morelan, Legend Numismatic, and Blanchard and Co. The latter sold it to an unnamed collector in 2005 and by January 2010, the Heritage Auctions had sold it for a remarkable $3,737,500. The Olsen-Hyden’s latest owner remains unnamed.
1913 Nickel Norweb Specimen
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While three of the 1913 Liberty Head nickels are in the hands of collectors, the other two are preserved in museums. The Norweb specimen is currently in the possession of the Smithsonian Institution.
Newman and Johnson first sold the nickel to collector F.C.C. Boyd who went on to sell to the Numismatic Gallery. In 1949, King Farouk of Egypt, who had sold the Olsen specimen bought the Norweb specimen, which remained in his possession until he was overthrown by Gamel Abdel Nasser’s regime in 1952.
In 1954, Nasser’s regime auctioned all of Farouk’s possessions and the Numismatic Gallery ended up reacquiring the coin. The Gallery sold the coin to Ambassador Henry Norweb, after whom the coin is named. In 1978, Norweb and his wife donated the coin the Smithsonian Institution in celebration of their sixtieth wedding anniversary.
1913 Nickel Walton Specimen
The fourth 1913 Liberty Head nickel, known as the Walton specimen, has quite an interesting history. Believed to have been lost, the Walton nickel was rediscovered after 40 years.
In 1945, Newman and Johnson first sold the nickel for about $3,750 to George Walton, after whom the coin is named. In March 1962, Walton was heading to a coin show where he had planned to showcase the nickel but he died in a car crash on his way there.
Coins worth $250,000 were recovered from the accident site, among them the 1913 nickel. A year after his death, Walton’s family attempted to sell the coin but the auction house wrongly marked the coin as a counterfeit. So, the family went back home and kept the coin away.
In 2003, the American Numismatic Association planned for a showcase of the four known 1913 Liberty Head nickels. As part of the exhibition, Bowers and Merena, together with Donn Perlman, former governor of the American Numismatic Association, offered to purchase the long-lost coin for $1 million. They also promised a $10,000 award for letting Bowers and Merena representatives be the first to view the coin when found.
When the Walton family about the reward, they brought forth their 1913 Walton nickel to the ANA exhibition. Surprisingly, professional graders from the renowned Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) examined the coin and found it to be genuine, valuing it at $2,500,000.
Former ANA President, Jeff Garrett and famed collector, Larry Lee bought the Walton nickel in April 2012 for a record-breaking $3,172,500. Initially, the coin was placed on display at Lee’s shop in Panama City, Florida after which the two owners sold the Walton nickel to Martin Burns and his brother Ron Firman, for an estimated $3 to $4 million.
After the PCGS reauthenticated it, the brothers sent back the Walton nickel to the ANA museum in 2018. In 2022, the GreatCollections Coin Auctions bought the coin from Firman’s family for a remarkable $4,200,000.
1913 Mcdermott-Bebee Specimen
The 1913 McDermott specimen is the only one of the 1913 Liberty Head nickels with signs of circulation on it. James Kelly first bought this nickel from Johnson and Newman and later sold it to another collector by the name J.V. McDermott after whom the coin was named.
Unlike owners of the other four nickels, McDermott often carried his coin around, which caused it to lose its mint luster. Eventually, he preserved it in a protective hold to prevent further damage to the coin.
Following McDermott’s death, his family auctioned the coin to Aubrey Bebee in 1967 for an impressive $46,000. In 1989, Bebee and his wife donated the coin to the ANA’s Money Museum where it is displayed to date.
Also read: Top 17 Most Valuable Jefferson Nickels Worth Money
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1913 Nickel Grading
# | Grade |
---|---|
1 | Basal State-1 |
2 | Fair |
3 | Very Fair |
4, 5, 6 | Good |
7, 8, 10 | Very Good |
12, 15 | Fine |
20, 30 | Very Fine |
40 | Extremely Fine |
50 | About Uncirculated |
60 | Mint State |
65 | Mint State |
70 | Mint State |
All the five 1913 Liberty Head nickel are professionally graded and categorized as Proof (PR) coins. These coins generally fall within graded PR63 to PR66.
Below are the official grades the PCGS has issued to the 1913 nickel specimen.
- Eliasberg specimen- Graded PR66
- Olsen-Hydeman specimen- Graded PR64
- Walton specimen-Graded PR63
- Norweb specimen- Graded PR62
- McDermott-Bebee specimen- Graded PR55
Due to their extreme scarcity, the 1913 Liberty Head nickels are prone to counterfeiting. If you are interested in any one of these coins, we strongly recommend consulting a professional coin grading service such as the PCGS or Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC).
Check out now: How to Grade Liberty Nickel?
1913 Nickel Errors
Out of all the five 1913 Liberty Head nickels, none is known to have a distinct minting error. Look out for coins purporting to be 1913 Liberty error nickels—these are typically inauthentic.
All five of the coins in the series have a strong strike, flawless surface, and clear details, including the McDermott with its distinct circulation marks.
That said, the 1913 Liberty nickels is one of the most well-known examples of a wrong date error coin. The final issues of the Liberty Head nickels were minted in 1912 but in 1913, the mint still struck five Liberty Head nickels, which by this time should have been replaced by the Indian Head nickel.
Also read: 14 Most Valuable Nickel Errors Worth Money
Where to Sell Your 1913 Nickel?
Now that you know the value of your coins, do you know where to sell those coins online easily? Don’t worry, I’ve compiled a list of these sites, including their introduction, pros, and cons.
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FAQs
What is the most a 1913 Liberty Head Nickel has sold for?
The Eliasberg specimen, sold for more than $4.5 million in 2018, became one of the most expensive coins in the world.
Why were the 1913 Liberty Nickels made?
The exact reason these coins were minted is a mystery to date. It is believed, though, that mint worker Samuel W. Brown illegally struck these coins using proof dies, to auction them later for his own monetary benefit.
Are 1913 Liberty Head Nickels in circulation?
No. All the 1913 Liberty Head nickel specimens are held in museums or already in the possession of known collectors. If you come across any coin purporting to belong to the series, it is probably a counterfeit.
Are there counterfeit 1913 Liberty Nickels?
Yes, there are many counterfeit versions of the 1913 Liberty nickel. Counterfeiters usually alter earlier Liberty Head nickels while others just make fake ones.
Are 1913 Liberty Head Nickels legal tender?
Technically, yes—these coins can be considered legal tender as they are five-cent coins. But, they are worth so much more than their face value and are considered more as a collectors’ item.