1938 Jefferson Nickel
Base
About This Coin
The 1938 Jefferson Nickel is a United States nickel from the Jefferson Nickels Original Design 1938-2003 series — the first year of the series. In 1938, coins were struck at the Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco Mints with a combined mintage of 29.0 million. This represents the second-lowest annual mintage in the series, below the series median of 617.5 million. The obverse features Thomas Jefferson facing left and the reverse displays Monticello, Thomas Jefferson's Virginia estate. First year of the Jefferson Nickel, replacing the Buffalo Nickel. Felix Schlag won the public design competition. Struck in 75% copper, 25% nickel, weighing 5 grams, 21.2 mm in diameter, with a plain edge. Collectors have cataloged 61 known die varieties for this date across 2 categories, including doubled die obverse, doubled die reverse. Across its variants, estimated values range from $0 to $144 depending on mint mark, grade, and strike type. A notable auction result reached $6.0K in PR67 grade at Heritage Auctions. Designed by Felix Schlag.
Value Estimates
Values as of May 2026 — range across all strike types, reflecting typical grades (G-4 through MS-63). Coins in lower or exceptional grades may fall outside this range.
