1989 Nickel Value Checker: Errors List, “P”, “D” & “S” Mint Mark Worth

1989 Nickel value ranges from $0.05 face value to $1,610. That record was a Grade 64 example sold through Heritage Auctions in January 2007 — not even a top-grade coin, which tells you collector demand for this date runs strong. Upload a photo of yours below to get a quick value range. Then scroll down to see what 1989 Nickels are going for on eBay today.

 

1989 Nickel Value By Variety

If you know your coin’s grade, skip straight to the Value Guides section for exact pricing by grade level.

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

 

Top 10 Most Valuable 1989 Nickel Worth Money

The top sale for the entire 1989 series is a coin that shouldn’t have won on paper. A 1989-D graded just MS-64 brought $1,610 at Heritage Auctions in January 2007, beating out higher-graded coins across all three mints. That tells you scarcity at a specific grade threshold can matter more than a bigger number on the slab.

Philadelphia coins show up five times in the top ten, mostly Full Steps pieces. PCGS CoinFacts expert Jaime Hernandez has noted that the 1989-D is “difficult to find in MS66 condition or higher,” and that striking weakness plagued Denver issues throughout the 1980s and 1990s. If you’re cherrypicking rolls for top-pop candidates, I think the 1989-D Full Steps coins offer the most upside.

 

History of the 1989 Nickel

The 1989 Jefferson nickel came out during the last year of the Reagan administration — the 51st year of production since Felix Schlag’s design debuted in 1938. Nearly 1.5 billion were struck across three facilities that year. This was a workhorse coin at the tail end of the Cold War.

The design traces back to a public competition the Mint announced in late January 1938. Entrants had to feature Thomas Jefferson on the obverse and Monticello on the reverse. By the April 15 deadline, 390 entries had come in.

Felix Schlag — born in Frankfurt, Germany in 1891 and a U.S. citizen since 1929 — took the prize. Art historian Cornelius Vermeule later pointed out that Schlag’s left-facing portrait closely resembles Jean-Antoine Houdon’s celebrated 1789 bust of Jefferson. Schlag got $1,000 and his artwork on one of America’s most-produced coins.

Here’s the part most collectors never hear. Schlag’s original reverse showed Monticello from a dramatic three-quarter angle that really captured the building’s depth. The Treasury Department killed it. They made him redraw it as a flat, head-on view — and paid him nothing extra under the competition rules.

Production started at all three mints on October 3, 1938, with coins entering circulation November 15. In 1939, the Mint recut the hub to sharpen Monticello’s steps, which had been fuzzy on early strikes. That improvement created the foundation for the “Full Steps” collecting standard that drives so much of the 1989 nickel’s value today.

Schlag died in 1974. His initials “FS” weren’t added to the design until 1966 — twenty-eight years after his winning submission. The 1989 nickel sits near the end of this classic original design era, which ran through 2003.

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

 

Is Your 1989 Nickel Rare?

With over 1.4 billion struck, your 1989 nickel isn’t rare by mintage. But rarity here is all about grade and Full Steps status. A raw MS-65 from a junk bin is common. That same coin with six clean step lines? Completely different kind of rare. The Coin Identifier and Value App can identify these features through a simple photo, helping you figure out exactly where your coin stands.

 

Key Features of the 1989 Nickel

Knowing what to look for on a 1989 Jefferson nickel helps you grade it, authenticate it, and spot the details that move the price needle.

The Obverse of the 1989 Nickel

Jefferson’s left-facing bust sits centered on the obverse, based on Houdon’s famous sculpture. This portrait stayed on the nickel for 66 years, from 1938 through 2003.

“IN GOD WE TRUST” curves along the left side from chest to hairline. “LIBERTY” appears on the right above the date 1989, separated by a small five-pointed star. Look below the date for the mint mark — “P” for Philadelphia, “D” for Denver.

Flip the coin and look near the rim at Jefferson’s truncated shoulder. You’ll see Felix Schlag’s tiny initials “FS.” He won the design competition in 1938 but didn’t get his initials on the coin until 1966.

The Reverse of the 1989 Nickel

The reverse shows Monticello straight-on — the flat view the Treasury forced on Schlag after rejecting his more dynamic three-quarter angle. “E PLURIBUS UNUM” arcs above the building, and “MONTICELLO” sits below the foundation.

“FIVE CENTS” curves above “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” at the bottom. Now look at the base of Monticello — those steps are the single most important grading element on the entire coin.

Well-struck examples showing five or six complete, unbroken horizontal step lines earn the Full Steps (FS) designation from PCGS (Professional Coin Grading Service) and NGC (Numismatic Guaranty Company). That designation can multiply a coin’s value many times over compared to a standard uncirculated example at the same grade.

Other Features of the 1989 Nickel

The 1989 nickel measures 21.2 millimeters in diameter, is 1.95 millimeters thick, and weighs exactly 5 grams. Its composition is 75% copper and 25% nickel — the same alloy used since the Buffalo nickel era, nothing like the 35% silver “war nickels” of 1942–1945.

The edge is completely smooth. No reeding. This plain edge is actually useful for error detection — a broadstruck coin (struck without its retaining collar) will spread wider than the normal 21.2mm diameter, and you can spot it immediately.

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

 

1989 Nickel Mintage & Survival Data

Philadelphia led with 898,812,000 pieces. Denver added 570,842,000. That’s over 1.4 billion nickels for pocket change — which is exactly why circulated examples are worth five cents and nothing more.

San Francisco tells a different story. Only 3,220,194 proofs were struck, sold directly to collectors in proof sets. About 85.5% survived, since most went straight into protective holders and never saw a cash register.

The Deep Cameo (DCAM) label on those San Francisco proofs means heavy contrast between frosted devices and mirror fields. The San Francisco Mint achieved this through laser frosting — etching the working dies before use to create that distinctive frosty relief against polished mirror surfaces. They refined the technique through the 1970s and 1980s.

Also Read: Jefferson Nickel Value (1938-Present)

 

The Easy Way to Know Your 1989 Nickel Value

Start with the mint mark below Jefferson’s portrait. “P” is Philadelphia, “D” is Denver, “S” is a San Francisco proof. Then check the surfaces and luster — is this coin circulated or Mint State?

Now flip it over. Grab a loupe — at least 10x — and count the horizontal step lines at Monticello’s base. Complete, uninterrupted lines push value way up. Even a single bridge or merger between lines kills the Full Steps designation.

Our Coin Identifier and Value App handles all of this instantly. Snap a photo and the app identifies the mint mark, estimates the grade, checks for Full Steps, and pulls real-time market values from live auction databases.

 

1989 Nickel Value Guides

Three varieties exist for 1989, split by mint facility and production method. Here’s what drives value within each.

1989 Nickel Varieties:

• 1989-P Nickel (Philadelphia)
• 1989-D Nickel (Denver)
• 1989-S DCAM Nickel (San Francisco)

 

1989-P Nickel Value

Think Full Steps doesn’t matter? Consider this: an MS-67 without the FS designation is worth about $160. An MS-67 with Full Steps jumps to roughly $950. That’s nearly six times the price for the same numerical grade — all because of those step lines on Monticello’s base.

Philadelphia struck 898,812,000 of these, so finding one isn’t hard. Finding one where all five or six step lines survived the strike intact? That’s the challenge. Only 13 examples have been certified MS-67 FS by PCGS. At the top, only one coin sits at MS-67 without FS — and just one MS-68 Full Steps specimen holds the auction record at $1,140, achieved in August 2022.

The auction history of 1989-P nickels shows the premiums top-condition pieces pull.

Collector interest in 1989-P nickels stays steady in the current market.

 

1989-D Nickel Value

How does an MS-64 coin outsell every MS-66 and MS-67 in the series? Scarcity at that grade level. The 1989-D’s auction record of $1,610 came from a coin graded just MS-64, sold through Heritage Auctions in January 2007.

Denver struck 570,842,000 pieces. Circulated ones are worth face value. Basic uncirculated examples without Full Steps run $0.30–$3.32 depending on grade. But PCGS CoinFacts expert Jaime Hernandez specifically noted that the 1989-D is “very hard to find” with Full Steps, and that “anything grading higher than MS66 is even rarer.” Production pressures at Denver hammered strike quality throughout the 1980s and 1990s.

Population reports confirm MS-66 is a real wall. Above that grade, coins become genuinely scarce regardless of Full Steps status. We think this is one of the most underappreciated Denver issues from the era.

Denver mint examples in MS-64 grade have achieved great results at auctions.

Market patterns demonstrate sustained demand for 1989-D nickels.

 

1989-S DCAM Nickel Value

If you’re new to proof collecting, this is a great coin to start with. San Francisco struck only 3,220,194 of these — none for circulation, all sold in annual proof sets directly to collectors.

Don’t confuse Cameo (CAM) with Deep Cameo (DCAM). DCAM requires dramatically stronger frost contrast between the raised design elements and the mirror fields. On a DCAM coin, Jefferson’s portrait looks almost white against jet-black mirrors. That contrast is what you’re paying for.

PR-69 Deep Cameo examples are plentiful and affordable at around $15. Even perfect PR-70 DCAM coins trade for only about $45, since PCGS has certified roughly 1,083 at that pinnacle grade. Affordable doesn’t mean boring, though — these are beautiful coins with that classic San Francisco proof look.

Proof nickels from San Francisco have established consistent pricing at auction.

The 1989-S proof market sees regular collector activity.

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

 

Rare 1989 Nickel Error List

Error coins can turn a five-cent nickel into a serious find. The 1989 nickel also holds a special distinction for error collectors: it was among the *last* years when Repunched Mint Mark (RPM) errors could occur, since the U.S. Mint ended hand-punching of mint marks starting in 1990.

1. Repunched Mint Mark (RPM) Errors

Before 1990, mint workers hand-punched mint mark letters onto individual working dies with a mallet. If the first hit landed crooked or weak, they’d strike again — leaving overlapping impressions visible on finished coins.

The 1989 nickel is among the last U.S. coins where authentic RPMs exist. A known variety is the 1989-D/D North, where the “D” was punched twice with the secondary impression visible above the primary mark. Circulated examples typically sell for $15–$30. Sharp Mint State pieces can reach $75–$125 from variety specialists.

2. Off-Center Strike Errors

These happen when the blank shifts before the dies come together, leaving part of the design missing with blank space on one side. The bigger the shift, the more collectors want it.

The key: the date and mint mark must still be visible. Minor 5–10% off-center coins sell for $15–$30. Dramatic 50%+ examples — especially uncirculated with the date showing — can bring $150–$300.

3. Clipped Planchet Errors

When the blanking press overlaps a previously punched hole or the edge of the metal strip, you get a coin that looks like someone took a bite out of it. Curved clips are the most common type on nickels and typically sell for $20–$50 depending on size and condition.

Look for the “Blakesley effect” — a weak spot on the rim directly opposite the clip. That’s your authentication clue to separate a genuine clip from post-mint damage.

4. Broadstruck Errors

No retaining collar means the metal spreads freely under 40 tons of striking pressure. The result is a coin that’s thinner and wider than normal — noticeably larger than the standard 21.2mm diameter.

You can spot these by the spread-out look of Jefferson’s portrait and Monticello, plus a completely smooth edge. Values typically run $25–$75 in uncirculated condition.

5. Wrong Planchet Errors

These are the showstoppers. A Jefferson nickel struck on a cent planchet gives you Jefferson’s portrait on a copper-colored disc weighing only about 2.5 grams instead of the normal 5 grams. You’ll notice immediately — it looks wrong and feels too light.

Certified examples have sold for $400–$1,200 at major auction houses. If you suspect one, weigh it on a digital scale accurate to 0.01 grams before doing anything else.

6. Die Cracks and Cuds

Working dies develop fractures from repeated use. Those cracks show up as raised lines on every coin struck afterward. When a bigger chunk of the die breaks away entirely, you get a “cud” — a raised blob of metal on the coin’s surface.

Minor hairline cracks through letters or Jefferson’s portrait add modest interest at $2–$10. Major breaks or cuds creating dramatic disruptions can reach $20–$75 or more in uncirculated grades.

7. Strike-Through Errors

Foreign material — grease, fabric, wire — gets trapped between the die and planchet during striking. The debris blocks design transfer, leaving weak or missing features in that area.

“Struck through grease” is the most common type, giving a mushy or flat look to part of the design. Dramatic examples with major elements completely obscured can bring $10–$25 from error specialists. Look for areas where the design appears sunken or absent, not just worn from circulation.

 

Where to Sell Your 1989 Nickel?

For comprehensive guidance on choosing the right selling platform for your 1989 nickels, explore detailed comparisons of fees, payment methods, and buyer audiences across major marketplaces.

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

 

1989 Nickel Market Trend

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

 

FAQ about the 1989 Nickel Value

1. What makes a 1989 nickel valuable?

Condition and strike quality — not mintage. Circulated pieces are worth face value. Standard uncirculated coins trade for $0.30–$3.32 depending on grade.

The real money is in Full Steps (FS) coins, where all five or six horizontal lines on Monticello’s staircase are completely sharp and unbroken under magnification. At MS-66 FS or higher, you’re looking at $30–$950 or more. Error varieties like wrong planchet strikes and dramatic off-center coins add further premium.

2. What does the mint mark on my 1989 nickel mean?

Check below the date on the obverse. “P” is Philadelphia, “D” is Denver, “S” is San Francisco.

Philadelphia and Denver struck coins for circulation. San Francisco made only proofs, sold to collectors in annual proof sets. For 1989 nickels, the mint mark itself barely affects base value — condition and Full Steps status matter far more.

3. How can I tell if my 1989 nickel has Full Steps?

Grab a loupe — at least 10x — and look at Monticello’s staircase on the reverse. You need five or six complete, uninterrupted horizontal lines running clearly from left to right.

Most 1989 nickels fail. Die wear and striking pressure caused the lines to merge or disappear. Even one bridge between two adjacent lines disqualifies it. PCGS and NGC label qualifying coins with an “FS” suffix on the slab.

4. Why is 1989 the last year for Repunched Mint Mark errors on nickels?

Before 1990, each working die got its mint mark by hand — a technician with a steel punch and a mallet. Misalign the first hit, punch again, and you’ve got overlapping impressions. That’s an RPM.

Starting in 1990, the Mint placed mint marks directly on the master hub. Every working die got an identical, pre-positioned mark. No more hand-punching, no more RPMs. The 1989 nickel is among the very last coins where you can find traditional RPM varieties.

5. What is the difference between Cameo (CAM) and Deep Cameo (DCAM) on the 1989-S proof nickel?

Both describe contrast between frosted devices and mirror fields on proofs. Deep Cameo (DCAM) requires much stronger, more intense frosting. On a CAM coin, the contrast is there but subtle. On a DCAM, Jefferson’s portrait looks almost white against jet-black mirror fields.

PCGS and NGC assign the DCAM label, and it bumps value noticeably. A 1989-S in PR-70 DCAM runs about $45, while the same grade without DCAM is worth considerably less.

6. Are there any doubled die errors on 1989 nickels?

They can exist, though dramatic examples aren’t widely documented for this date. A Doubled Die Obverse (DDO) happens during die-making when the hub strikes the working die multiple times with slight misalignment. You’ll see doubling on Jefferson’s eye, the date, or inscriptions like “IN GOD WE TRUST.”

Don’t confuse this with machine doubling — a common, valueless die-shift effect that looks flat and shelf-like. Genuine DDO doubling appears rounded and three-dimensional. Check your coin against known reference photos on CONECA’s database or VarietyVista.com before getting excited.

7. What is a wrong planchet error on a 1989 nickel, and what is it worth?

It’s a nickel die accidentally striking a blank meant for a different denomination. The best-known version is a Jefferson nickel on a cent planchet — copper-colored, weighing about 2.5 grams instead of the standard 5 grams.

Certified examples have sold for $400–$1,200 at major auction houses. Easiest first check? Weigh it on a digital scale accurate to 0.01 grams. Normal 1989 nickel: exactly 5.00 grams. If yours reads around 2.5 grams with a copper tone, get it professionally authenticated.

8. How does the 1989 nickel compare to similar dates in the Jefferson series?

It’s similar to other high-mintage 1980s and 1990s Jefferson issues. Circulated coins across this whole era are worth face value. What separates one date from another is Full Steps availability at high grades.

The 1989-D shares the “nearly impossible above MS-65” problem with its era-mates. Population data from PCGS and NGC is essential for understanding true rarity within any specific date — premiums at the highest grades can vary wildly from one year to the next.

9. Is the 1989 nickel made of silver?

No. Zero silver content. It’s 75% copper and 25% nickel — the standard composition used from 1946 to the present.

The only silver Jefferson nickels are the 1942–1945 “war nickels,” which contain 35% silver. You can identify those by the large mint mark above Monticello’s dome on the reverse. Your 1989 nickel’s silvery color comes from the copper-nickel alloy, not precious metal.

10. Should I clean my 1989 nickel before selling it?

Never. Not even with mild soap. Cleaning strips original luster and leaves microscopic scratches that graders catch immediately. A cleaned coin gets a “details” grade instead of a straight numerical grade, tanking its value and marketability.

A 1989-P Full Steps nickel that might grade MS-67 can lose hundreds of dollars if it shows cleaning evidence. Store your coins in non-PVC flips, hard holders, or capsules. Handle by the edges only. If it looks a little dull but has original surfaces, leave it alone.