1973 Nickel Value Checker: Errors List, “D”, “S” & No Mint Mark Worth

1973 Nickel value ranges from $0.05 face value to $5,550. A perfect Grade 70 San Francisco proof example achieved that price on eBay in June 2018. See what yours could be worth by uploading a photo below for a quick value range. You can also scroll down to check recent 1973 Nickel sales on eBay.

 

1973 Nickel Value By Variety

This chart displays the values of 1973 nickels across different mint marks (No Mint Mark, D, and Proof DCAM) and condition grades (Good, Fine, AU, MS, and PR).

If you know the grade of your coin, you can find the exact price below in the Value Guides section.

Also Read: Top 100 Most Valuable Jefferson Nickels Worth Money List (1938-Present)

 

Top 10 Most Valuable 1973 Nickel Worth Money

The #1 coin on this list is a 1973-S PR70 DCAM proof that brought $5,550. Perfect PR70 proofs are incredibly hard to find—one tiny milk spot or hairline under magnification knocks you down to PR69. That single grade point? It’s worth about 35 times more money. A PR69 DCAM sells for around $155.

What jumps out from the rest of the top 10 is how condition rarity drives everything. The #2 coin is a standard MS66 at $2,300, and the #3 is an MS67 at $1,528. For a coin with a 384-million mintage, those prices tell you just how few survived in top shape. You’ll also notice error coins and misplaced mint mark pieces mixed in alongside pristine MS examples—dramatic mistakes can blow past conventional grade-based pricing.

GreatCollections has sold 126 examples of the 1973 Jefferson Nickel Full Steps over the past 16 years, with prices ranging from $6 to $2,695 in grades MS63 through MS67. Steady demand across all grade levels.

 

History of the 1973 Nickel

The Jefferson nickel replaced the Buffalo nickel in 1938 after a design competition. German émigré Felix Oscar Schlag beat out 390 other artists and took home a $1,000 prize.

His design continued the trend of putting real historical figures on U.S. coins, joining Lincoln and Washington. Mint officials weren’t fully satisfied at first—they made Schlag reposition Monticello and change the lettering before giving final approval.

World War II changed the coin’s composition. From 1942 through 1945, nickel was swapped out because it was a critical war material. The wartime alloy was 56% copper, 35% silver, and 9% manganese. You can spot these “war nickels” by the large mintmark sitting above Monticello on the reverse—that placement is unique to those years. The standard 75% copper / 25% nickel mix came back in 1946.

Two changes happened before 1973 that matter to collectors. In 1966, Schlag’s initials “FS” were added to the obverse after Coin World columnist Mort Reed pushed for it. Then in 1968, the mintmark moved from the reverse to the obverse, below the date.

Here’s a detail most people miss: San Francisco used the “Tall” mintmark style (MMS-005) on proof coins from 1968 through 1973. After that, they switched to the “Trumpet Tail” style (MMS-002). So 1973 is the last year of the Tall S on proofs—a subtle variety that die variety specialists really care about. Q. David Bowers documented these changes in the second edition of A Guidebook of Buffalo and Jefferson Nickels (2017).

By 1973, all business-strike nickels came from Philadelphia and Denver. San Francisco had stopped making nickels for circulation in 1971, shifting entirely to proof coinage. Philadelphia struck 384,396,000 coins without a mint mark, Denver produced 261,405,000 with a “D” mark, and San Francisco made approximately 2,760,339 proof coins with an “S” mark.

That’s roughly 648 million Jefferson nickels in a single year. These coins circulated during the tail end of the Vietnam War and the Watergate scandal. The “Full Steps” collecting movement—chasing examples where five or six steps at Monticello’s entrance are sharply struck—was gaining traction among collectors during the 1970s, right when these coins were being made.

The Jefferson nickel design ran largely unchanged from 1938 until 2003. Special Lewis and Clark bicentennial issues appeared in 2004–2005, and Jamie Franki’s new Jefferson portrait debuted in 2006. The 1973 nickel sits near the end of one of the longest continuous coin designs in U.S. history—66 years of Schlag’s original work on the five-cent piece.

Also Read: Top 60+ Most Valuable Buffalo Nickels Worth Money

 

Is Your 1973 Nickel Rare?

In circulated and lower Mint State grades, 1973 nickels are flat-out common. The rarity kicks in hard at the top of the grading scale—use the Coin Identifier and Value App to pin down your coin’s value based on condition and mint mark.

Here’s the quick breakdown: circulated pieces (G through AU) are everywhere, worth face value to $0.50. MS60–MS65 coins from original rolls and mint sets run $0.50–$15. MS65 Full Steps gets moderately scarce at $15–$100. MS66 is where values jump sharply for both Philadelphia and Denver. MS67 and MS67 Full Steps? Genuinely rare—PCGS CoinFacts calls the 1973-D at this level “rare as few examples have been found.” And the PR70 DCAM proof holds the auction record at $5,550.

 

Key Features of the 1973 Nickel

The 1973 nickel belongs to the Jefferson series designed by Felix Schlag. It uses the standard 75% copper and 25% nickel alloy that came back after World War II.

One thing to get straight right away: the 1973 nickel has no silver. That silvery look comes entirely from the nickel in the alloy. The only Jefferson nickels with silver are the 1942–1945 wartime issues, and you can spot those by the large mintmark above Monticello on the reverse. The 1973 nickel has no such marking and zero precious metal content.

The Obverse of the 1973 Nickel

You’ll see a left-facing profile of Thomas Jefferson—head and shoulders—with a slight smile. “IN GOD WE TRUST” runs along the left side in front of the portrait, “LIBERTY” curves along the right rim, and “1973” sits below.

Look near the rim below Jefferson’s shoulder for the designer’s initials “FS” (Felix Schlag), added in 1966. The mintmark sits below the date on the obverse, where it’s been since 1968. No mark means Philadelphia, “D” means Denver, and “S” means a San Francisco proof.

The Reverse of the 1973 Nickel

Flip it over and you’ll see Monticello, Jefferson’s Virginia estate, shown straight-on. “E PLURIBUS UNUM” arcs above the building. Below it: “MONTICELLO,” “FIVE CENTS,” and “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.”

The feature collectors zero in on is the staircase at Monticello’s entrance. Coins earning the Full Steps (FS) designation—where five or six steps stay sharply defined with no merging or breaks—carry serious premiums. NGC has split this into 5FS and 6FS since 2004, with 6FS worth more. Full Steps coins get scarce at MS66 and genuinely rare at MS67 or higher.

Other Features of the 1973 Nickel

The coin measures 21.20 millimeters in diameter, weighs 5.00 grams, and features a plain smooth edge with a thickness of 1.95 mm. Production included 384,396,000 pieces from Philadelphia, 261,405,000 from Denver, and approximately 2,760,339 proofs from San Francisco.

Also Read: Top 100 Rarest Nickels Worth Money (Most Expensive)

 

1973 Nickel Mintage & Survival Data

Philadelphia led with 384,396,000 coins struck without a mint mark. Denver followed at 261,405,000 with the “D” designation. San Francisco produced 2,760,339 proof specimens marked “S.”

Nobody knows the exact survival rate for Philadelphia and Denver strikes. They went straight into circulation, and after 50 years of pocket wear, vending machines, and junk jars, well over half are probably gone or too beat up to collect.

Proofs are a completely different story. About 2,235,874 San Francisco proofs still exist—an 81% survival rate. That’s what happens when coins go directly into plastic cases and never see a cash register. Think of it this way: 648 million business strikes were dumped into the wild, while collectors tucked away their proofs like family heirlooms. Two totally different worlds from the same coin year.

Also Read: Jefferson Nickel Value (1938-Present)

 

The Easy Way to Know Your 1973 Nickel Value

Four steps: find the mint mark, judge the condition, check for Full Steps, and hunt for errors.

Look on the obverse below the date, near the ribbon tying Jefferson’s braid. No mark = Philadelphia. “D” = Denver. “S” = San Francisco proof. Next, check wear on the high points—Jefferson’s cheekbone and Monticello’s steps. Less wear means more money.

The biggest premium goes to Full Steps coins where five or six steps at Monticello’s entrance stay sharply defined without merging. Both PCGS and NGC certify this. Since 2004, NGC splits it into 5FS and 6FS, with 6FS carrying a higher premium. Mint State examples need complete original luster with no wear at all.

Don’t skip the error check. Look for doubled lettering, repunched mintmarks, off-center strikes, or wrong planchet errors—any of these can multiply your coin’s value. The Coin Identifier and Value App makes this easy by identifying your coin type, mintmark, and estimated value from a photo.

 

1973 Nickel Value Guides

• 1973 No Mint Mark (Philadelphia)
• 1973-D (Denver)
• 1973-S Proof DCAM (San Francisco)

Three varieties, three different collecting angles. Philadelphia and Denver strikes are cheap in typical grades but get expensive fast once you hit pristine Full Steps territory. San Francisco proofs with Deep Cameo finish are accessible at PR69 but brutal to find at PR70.

 

1973 No Mint Mark Nickel Value

Here’s something most collectors don’t realize: in 1973, U.S. Mint set prices jumped to $6.00, and sales dropped by nearly a million sets. The coins in those sets came from regular production runs, so quality varied wildly. That’s a big reason pristine examples are tougher to find than you’d expect from a 384-million mintage.

PCGS CoinFacts says the 1973-P is “fairly easy to find” with Full Steps up to about MS65, but “begins to be scarce” at MS66 Full Steps and hits “very scarce to rare” at MS67 Full Steps or higher. The copper-nickel alloy picks up bag marks like a magnet, so clean surfaces get genuinely hard to find in the upper grades.

Circulated pieces trade at $0.10 to $0.20. Uncirculated coins run $0.50 to $4–5 depending on grade, with top examples reaching several hundred dollars. Auction highlights include $300 for standard specimens, $1,528 for an MS67 Full Steps example in 2020, and $2,300 for an MS66 specimen achieved in 2010. GreatCollections has documented 1973 Jefferson Nickel Full Steps selling for up to $2,695 across 126 sales recorded over 16 years.

Historical auction results provide valuable insight into the market performance of these coins over time, showing consistent collector interest in top-tier examples.

Transactions happen regularly across all grade levels as collectors keep building Jefferson nickel sets.

 

1973-D Nickel Value

Can you find a 1973-D with Full Steps? Good luck. Denver ran their dies hard, and the copper-nickel alloy didn’t help. Weak strikes are the norm, making coins with clean step separation uncommon even among uncirculated rolls.

PCGS CoinFacts calls the 1973-D “scarce in MS66 condition” and “rare” at MS67 or higher—with or without Full Steps—noting that “few examples have been found.” An NGC MS67 5FS specimen has been listed as the “Finest Known Top Pop” for this date and mint. That tells you everything about how thin the population gets at the top.

Circulated coins are worth face value. Uncirculated pieces typically trade between a few dollars and $50–100. MS67 Full Steps examples command $2,500 or more. A standard 1973-D sold for $510 in August 2022, and a Full Steps example brought $552 in April 2021. An MS63 Full Steps example sold for $810 in June 2024 at Heritage Auctions. I think this is one of the better cherrypicking opportunities in the series—there’s enough grade spread to keep things interesting long-term.

The auction record chart tracks historical price data across different grades and dates.

Market activity data shows current collector demand and transaction frequency for this issue.

 

1973-S Proof DCAM Nickel Value

A $155 coin versus a $5,550 coin. Same date, same mint, one grade point apart. That’s the PR69-to-PR70 gap on the 1973-S proof, and it’s one of the wildest price jumps in the Jefferson series.

Deep Cameo (DCAM) means you see heavy frost on the raised design elements—Jefferson’s portrait, Monticello—set against deeply mirrored fields. Early strikes from fresh dies produce this effect. As the dies wear down, the frost fades and contrast weakens.

San Francisco did solid work in 1973. Most examples grade PR68 or PR69 Deep Cameo, which speaks to the quality of their proof production. The 2,760,339 mintage is substantial, but almost all the value concentrates at PR70 DCAM. That perfect grade sold for $5,550 in June 2018. Standard proofs without DCAM designation trade from $3 at PR60 up to $15 at PR65.

We think the PR69 DCAM is a great entry point for proof Jefferson collectors—affordable and gorgeous. PR70 DCAM is the trophy coin for registry set builders.

The auction record chart provides historical pricing data across all proof grades and cameo designations.

Market activity metrics indicate current trading volume and collector interest levels for this issue.

Also Read: 22 Rare Nickel Errors List with Pictures (By Year)

 

Rare 1973 Nickel Error List

Over 648 million 1973 nickels came off the presses. With that kind of volume, mistakes were inevitable.

These errors turn ordinary pocket change into collectible varieties worth anywhere from a small premium to serious money. Here are six documented error types, including three you won’t find in most standard guides.

1. 1973 Clipped Planchet Error

This happens when the blank gets improperly cut from the metal strip before striking. You’ll see a missing chunk along the edge—curved if blanks overlapped during punching, straight if the punch caught the strip’s edge.

Bigger clips are worth more, especially when they bite into the design. Circulated examples with minor clips typically sell for $10–30. Significant clips on uncirculated coins can reach $50–100 or more.

2. 1973 Off-Center Strike Error

The planchet wasn’t seated right between the dies. The result: a partial design with a blank crescent on one side.

A 5–10% misalignment gets modest interest. The sweet spot is 30–50% off-center with the full date still showing—those are the ones collectors chase. Values range from $15 for slight shifts to $100+ for dramatic 40%+ displacement with full date visibility.

3. 1973 Misplaced Mint Mark Error

Back in 1973, mint workers hand-punched mintmarks onto working dies. Sometimes the “D” landed in the wrong spot or at a weird angle. That’s your misplaced mint mark (MMM).

A notable example from error specialist Fred Weinberg’s collection sold at Heritage Auctions’ May 2022 Central States Signature Sale, graded AU55 NGC, for $216. Circulated examples typically trade for $10–50, while well-preserved pieces with significant displacement can bring $100–300 depending on grade and how dramatic the misplacement looks.

4. 1973 Die Clash Error

Die clashes happen when the obverse and reverse dies smack into each other with no planchet in between. That massive pressure transfers a faint ghost image of each die onto the other. On Jefferson nickels, you might see Monticello’s columns lurking behind Jefferson’s portrait, or a faint outline of Jefferson’s profile floating around the building on the reverse.

Value depends on how bold the clash marks are. Minor ones bring $3–10 over face value. Moderate clashes go for $7–25. Really dramatic cases with bold, unmistakable clash marks can hit $20 or more depending on grade and visual impact.

5. 1973 Doubled Die Obverse (DDO) Error

Doubled dies happen during die production when the hub strikes the working die more than once with slight misalignment. Every coin from that die shows the same doubling. It’s baked into the die itself.

On Jefferson nickels, check “LIBERTY,” “IN GOD WE TRUST,” the date, and Jefferson’s eye and hairline for doubling. Real hub doubling has sharply raised, rounded profiles. If the doubling looks flat and shelf-like, that’s die deterioration—not the same thing. Circulated DDO examples typically sell for $25–75. Mint-state pieces with dramatic doubling go for considerably more.

6. 1973 Wrong Planchet Error

This is the showstopper. A nickel design struck on a blank meant for a different denomination—usually a copper cent planchet. It happens when planchet bins get mixed up during production changeovers.

You’ll spot it immediately: copper color, lighter weight (approximately 3.1 grams versus the standard 5.0 grams), and the design gets cut off at the edges because the cent blank is smaller. PCGS and NGC both certify genuine examples. These typically sell for $400–900 or more depending on grade and eye appeal.

 

Where to Sell Your 1973 Nickel

Whether through online auction platforms, local coin dealers, or certified grading services that offer consignment options, selecting the right sales channel depends on your coin’s condition, error type, and your timeline for completing the transaction.

Check out now: Best Places To Sell Coins Online (Pros & Cons)

 

1973 Nickel Market Trend

*Market Trend Chart showing the number of people paying attention to this coin.

 

FAQ About the 1973 Nickel

1. How much is a 1973 nickel worth?

Circulated 1973 nickels run face value to about $0.20. Uncirculated examples range from $0.50 to $300+ depending on grade and mint mark. Full Steps coins and significant errors bring more. The auction record is $5,550 for a 1973-S PR70 DCAM proof sold in June 2018.

2. What makes a 1973 nickel valuable?

Condition is king. After that: Full Steps (FS) designation with all five or six Monticello steps sharply defined, grades of MS67 or above, and manufacturing errors like clipped planchets, off-center strikes, or wrong planchet errors. On proofs, the Deep Cameo (DCAM) designation at PR70 is the big money maker.

3. Does the 1973 nickel contain any silver?

No. It’s 75% copper and 25% nickel with zero silver. Only the 1942–1945 wartime Jefferson nickels contain silver, and those have a large mintmark above Monticello on the reverse. The 1973’s silvery look comes entirely from the nickel in the alloy.

4. What is the Full Steps (FS) designation, and how do I check my coin?

Full Steps (FS) is a special designation awarded by PCGS and NGC when at least five of the six steps at Monticello’s entrance are fully defined with no breaks, merges, or weak areas. NGC distinguishes 5FS (five full steps) from 6FS (six full steps) on coins graded since 2004, with 6FS carrying a premium. To check your coin, examine the base of Monticello under good lighting with a magnifier—count the incuse (recessed) lines between the steps. Four complete unbroken lines equals five full steps; five complete lines equals six full steps.

5. What is the rarest 1973 nickel?

By auction price, it’s the 1973-S PR70 DCAM proof at $5,550 (June 2018). Among business strikes, the 1973-D in MS67 Full Steps takes it—PCGS CoinFacts calls it “rare” with “few examples” known. An NGC MS67 5FS example has been listed as the “Finest Known Top Pop” for the 1973-D.

6. What is the 1973 nickel’s most valuable error?

Wrong planchet errors lead the pack—a nickel struck on a copper cent blank runs $400–900+. Significant off-center strikes with full date visible bring $100+. The Fred Weinberg collection misplaced mintmark example sold for $216 at Heritage Auctions’ May 2022 Central States Signature Sale. Die clashes and doubled dies also carry premiums based on visibility and grade.

7. What is the difference between CAM and DCAM on a proof nickel?

Both describe the contrast between frosted design elements and mirror-like fields on proofs. DCAM (Deep Cameo)—NGC calls it Ultra Cameo (UCAM)—means the strongest possible contrast: brilliant white devices against black-mirror fields. CAM is moderate contrast. The price difference is huge: a 1973-S PR70 DCAM brought $5,550 at auction, while a standard non-DCAM proof of the same grade trades at dramatically lower levels.

8. Is the 1973-D nickel worth more than the no-mint-mark 1973 nickel?

In most grades, they trade about the same. The split happens at the very top—MS67 Full Steps—where PCGS specifically describes the 1973-D as rarer, so it can command higher prices than its Philadelphia counterpart. Below that level, the difference is negligible.

9. Should I have my 1973 nickel professionally graded?

Only if your coin looks MS65 or higher, shows Full Steps, or has a visible error. Grading fees run $30–$50 per coin, so the potential certified value needs to be at least three to five times that to make sense. Try the Coin Identifier and Value App for a free preliminary check before spending money on slabbing.

10. Should I clean my 1973 nickel before selling it?

Never. Even gentle wiping creates microscopic hairlines that destroy original luster. PCGS and NGC will tag cleaned coins as “Improperly Cleaned” or “Details” grade, killing the numismatic premium. A coin that might grade MS65 uncleaned ($15+) can drop to a Details grade worth $1–3 after cleaning. If it looks dirty or toned, leave it alone and talk to a professional numismatist first.