Top 100 Rarest Nickels Worth Money (Most Expensive)

Most nickels are worth exactly five cents, but a select few have become numismatic treasures worth six and seven figures.

The 1913 Liberty Head Nickel holds the record at $4.56 million. The 1918/7-D Buffalo Nickel has sold for $350,750, and the 1926-S Buffalo Nickel for $322,000. The values trace back to limited mintages, mint errors, condition extremes, and—in the case of the 1913 Liberty—a production mystery that’s never been fully resolved.

This list covers the 100 most valuable nickels ever sold at auction, updated with current market data.

Looking for rare Nickels from other years?

• Auto Coin Appraisal Tool: Best Coin Identifier App
• (1938-Present): Top 100 Most Valuable Jefferson Nickels Worth Money List
• (1913 – 1938): Top 60+ Most Valuable Buffalo Nickels Worth Money
• Misprint Nickels: Rare Nickel Errors List with Pictures

The Rarest Nickels Worth Money Chart

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The Most Valuable Nickels Worth Money

1. 1913 Proof Liberty Nickel

Record Price: $4,560,000 (PCGS PR66, Stack’s Bowers 2018)

Five known examples. That’s the entire population of the 1913 Liberty Head Nickel—one of the most famous coins in American numismatics.

This specimen, the Eliasberg/Morton-Smith piece graded Proof-66 by PCGS, sold for $4,560,000 at Stack’s Bowers’ August 2018 ANA auction in Philadelphia. It is widely considered the finest and most well-preserved of the five survivors. Its provenance includes legendary collector Louis E. Eliasberg Sr., and it was the first U.S. coin to break the $1 million barrier when it sold for $1,485,000 in 1996. It now ranks as the most valuable non-precious metal coin ever sold.

The coin’s creation remains mysterious. These were produced in extremely limited quantities, unauthorized by the United States Mint, likely by a Mint employee. No official documentation of their production has ever been found.

Check 1913 Nickel History, Variety Price Chart & Errors List

 

2. 1918/7-D Buffalo Nickel

Record Price: $350,750 (PCGS MS65, Bowers & Merena 2006)

The overdate resulted from wartime production pressure during World War I. Philadelphia Mint engravers accidentally impressed a working die first with a 1917-dated hub, then overstruck it with a 1918-dated hub before shipping the die to Denver. The visible “7” beneath the “8” is the telltale feature.

The error went unrecognized until the early 1930s. By then, circulation had destroyed most examples. Roughly 7,000 specimens are estimated to survive in all grades combined. Mint State examples are exceptionally scarce—scholars estimate only 35–40 uncirculated coins exist. At Gem MS65 and higher, only seven total specimens have been certified between PCGS and NGC, with none grading above MS65+.

The $350,750 at the 2006 Bowers & Merena auction reflected this specimen’s position among the finest known.

 

3. 1926-S Buffalo Nickel

Record Price: $ 322,000 (PCGS MS66, Bowers & Merena 2008)

The key date of the Buffalo Nickel series. San Francisco struck only 970,000 pieces in 1926—and nearly all went straight into circulation, leaving an extremely poor survival rate in uncirculated condition. In Gem MS65, this is the rarest non-variety Buffalo nickel.

The series as a whole suffers from weak strikes with indistinct details on the Native American’s hair braids and the bison’s features, which further complicates finding high-grade examples. Historical records suggested no specimens graded above MS65, making this NGC MS66 exceptional—tied for finest known.

The $322,000 at the April 2008 Bowers & Merena auction established the record for this issue.

Check 1926 Nickel History, Variety Price Chart & Errors List

 

4. 1916 Doubled Die Obverse Buffalo Nickel

Record Price: $281,750 (PCGS MS64, Bowers & Merena 2004)

The most significant die variety in the Buffalo nickel series. The hub shifted or rotated between impressions during die production, duplicating the design on every coin struck from that die. The doubling is visible to the naked eye, most prominently on the date and on the Indian chief’s lips and chin.

Approximately 200 to 300 examples are known across all grades, but fewer than 15 Mint State specimens exist. MS64 is the finest certified grade—only three examples have reached it. Most survivors fall between Fine and Extremely Fine; the coin is extremely scarce in About Uncirculated and virtually unobtainable uncirculated.

The variety went unrecognized until 1962, when California collector Herbert S. Perlin submitted photographs to Numismatic Scrapbook Magazine.

The $281,750 at the 2004 Bowers & Merena auction established the benchmark for MS64 specimens of this variety.

 

5. 1880 Shield Nickel

Record Price: $198,995 (PCGS MS66, eBay 2023)

Only 16,000 circulation strikes were produced in 1880, making this the rarest non-proof Shield nickel in the series. PCGS has certified fewer than thirty Mint State examples, with only two MS66 specimens—the finest known grade, none higher.

The Shield nickel series (1866–1883) presents condition challenges across the board due to striking difficulties and die deterioration. Finding high-grade examples from any year is hard; the combination of the 1880’s microscopic mintage and the series’ inherent quality problems makes Gem-level coins extremely scarce.

The $198,995 in January 2023 reflects the coin’s finest-known status and the reality that this is one of only two examples capable of reaching the top of the population census.

 

6. 1913-D Type 2 Buffalo Nickel

Record Price: $143,750 (NGC MS68, Bowers & Merena 2008)

The inaugural year of 1913 produced two distinct Buffalo nickel reverse types. The original “Type 1” placed the bison on a raised mound, but the reverse design had a relief of the mound that caused the inscription in that raised portion to wear off quickly in many buffalo nickels. The US Mint then changed the coin’s design to recess the denomination below the coin’s rim, creating the Type 2 variety—the bison stands on a line rather than elevated ground.

Denver struck only 4,156,000 Type 2 coins, compared to nearly 30 million from Philadelphia. That sevenfold production difference immediately established the 1913-D Type 2 as a key date.

At MS68, this coin represents museum-quality preservation for an early Buffalo nickel. Most examples of this issue are decently struck. The luster for mint state coins, as is the case with most of the early Buffalos, is a satin grey. The $143,750 reflects both the date’s scarcity and this specimen’s condition.

Check 1913 Nickel History, Variety Price Chart & Errors List

 

7. 1917-S Buffalo Nickel

Record Price: $138,000 (PCGS MS67, Heritage Auction 2008)

The finest certified 1917-S Buffalo nickel by both major grading services. Fewer than 5,000 examples survive in any grade, and most suffer from weak strikes and heavy die erosion. This specimen defies the pattern. Despite evidence of advanced die state—including a die crack at 8 o’clock on the obverse—the design elements remain unusually sharp.

The surfaces display smooth, satiny luster overlaid with delicate rose and lilac toning. In Gem condition, S-mint Buffalo nickels are consistently rarer than their Denver counterparts for every year from 1913 through 1928.

The $138,000 at Heritage Auctions in 2008 priced the coin as what it is: the single finest known of a genuinely scarce issue.

 

8. 1920-D Buffalo Nickel

Record Price: $138,000 (PCGS MS67, Bowers & Merena 2008)

The 1920-D is scarce in all grades—even circulated examples above Fine to Very Fine prove difficult to locate. At Gem levels, it is rarer than most other Denver-mint issues in the series. Of the 9,418,000 originally struck, fewer than 5,000 survive in any grade, with less than 100 in MS65 or above. Only one coin has been certified by NGC as MS67: this one.

The price scale across grades shows the scarcity. Circulated examples in Good-3 are worth around $15. Basic mint state: $900. Gem condition: at least $5,750. At MS67, the sole finest known, $138,000.

Check 1920 Nickel History, Variety Price Chart & Errors List

 

9. 1867 Cameo Shield Nickel

Record Price: $132,250 (NGC PR66, Heritage Auctions 2004)

An original proof striking from February 8, 1867. Total mintage: 60 pieces. This specimen appears to be from the original run of about 25 proofs, of which no more than 10 are believed to exist today. Later restrikes were produced under Mint Director Henry Linderman, which makes distinguishing original strikings from restrikes a significant concern for collectors of this issue.

Graded PR66 Cameo, the coin displays unfathomable depth of mirrored reflectivity in the fields with snow-white mint frost on the devices. No obvious contact marks. It likely ranks as the finest known example.

The $132,250 at Heritage Auctions in 2004 priced the rarity and the quality together—one of roughly 10 surviving original proofs in a series where the “With Rays” design was produced for only a single year.

Check 1867 Nickel History, Variety Price Chart & Errors List

 

10. 1927-S Buffalo Nickel

Record Price: $125,350 (NGC MS66*, Bowers & Merena 2008)

Only 3,430,000 struck. The 1927-S is scarce even in circulated grades and rare in Mint State. Striking deficiencies typical of 1920s San Francisco production make high-grade coins especially hard to find, though the 1927-S shows marginally better quality than earlier issues in the decade.

The NGC Star (★) designation on this coin indicates exceptional eye appeal within its assigned grade—full vibrant luster, no distracting surface irregularities, and attractive coloration. NGC awards the star to fewer than 1% of eligible submissions, and starred coins typically command roughly 35% premiums over non-star examples at the same grade.

MS66 ranks among the finest certified, with only MS66+ specimens grading higher. The $125,350 at Bowers & Merena’s April 2008 auction reflects both the condition rarity and the star designation.

Check 1927 Nickel History, Variety Price Chart & Errors List

 

The most valuable nickels ever sold

The common thread across all ten entries is scarcity at the top of the grading scale. Mintages tell part of the story, but survival rates and condition rarity tell the rest. If you have a nickel that’s unusual in some way—wrong date, missing feature, unexpectedly sharp surfaces—it’s worth a closer look.