1939 Jefferson Nickel Proof
Proof struck at the Philadelphia Mint · 12,535 made
- Mintage
- 12,535
- Metal
- 75% copper, 25% nickel
- Weight
- 5 g
- Diameter
- 21.21 mm
Original illustration. Tap to flip. Not a photograph of the actual coin.
Face value · Metal value · Small premium · Collector premium · Significant rarity. We use bands because prices change daily.
What is a 1939 Jefferson Nickel Proof worth?
It's scarcer than a typical date, so even circulated examples sell above face. The best uncirculated coins are where the money is.
What would make yours worth more:
- Grade and, for proofs, strong cameo contrast
- A known variety for the date: 1939 Doubled Monticello Nickel
- Certification by PCGS or NGC, which buyers expect for scarce dates
For market prices, check recent sold results for certified coins in the same grade.
Quick answers
- Is the 1939 Jefferson Nickel Proof rare?
- Fairly. The Mint made 12,535 for collectors. Most were kept in their original packaging.
- Is the 1939 Jefferson Nickel Proof silver?
- No. It's 75% copper, 25% nickel. The only silver nickels are the 1942 to 1945 wartime coins with a large mint mark above Monticello.
- Where is the mint mark on a 1939 Jefferson Nickel?
- On the reverse, to the right of Monticello. No mint mark means Philadelphia.
- How many 1939 Jefferson Nickel proofs were made?
- 12,535.
What to check on your 1939
- There's no mint mark on this one, so the date and condition are what matter.
- Look for the 1939 Doubled Monticello Nickel.
- Judge the grade under good light. The steps of Monticello are the key: coins with 5 or 6 full steps (5FS / 6FS) sell for large premiums. On the obverse, check Jefferson's cheekbone and hair.
Proofs from 1939 were struck one at a time in small numbers and many were later spent or mishandled. Look for hairlines from cleaning, which lower the grade.
The story of the 1939
Felix Schlag's new nickel (1938 to 1941)
In 1938 Felix Schlag won the design competition for a new nickel. His portrait of Thomas Jefferson with Monticello on the reverse was released in November. The Mint modified his original design, changing Monticello from an angled view to a straight front view. The 1938-D and 1938-S were saved in rolls by collectors.
The 1939 has a doubled MONTICELLO reverse variety. The 1939-D is a semi-key with 3.5 million made. The reverse hub was sharpened around 1940. Some 1939 and 1940 coins with the older, softer steps are collected as the Reverse of 1938. Collectors grade these nickels by the number of steps on Monticello. Fully struck steps are scarce for many dates. Output climbed to more than 200 million in 1941.
How to recognize it
Felix Schlag's portrait shows Thomas Jefferson facing left with IN GOD WE TRUST, LIBERTY and the date. The reverse shows the front of Monticello, Jefferson's home, with MONTICELLO and FIVE CENTS below. The mint mark was to the right of the building until 1964 (above the dome on wartime silver nickels) and moved to the obverse, near the date, in 1968. Schlag's initials FS were added below the bust in 1966.
Mintage chart
Specifications
| Series | Jefferson Nickel (1938–2003) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1939 |
| Mint | Philadelphia Mint |
| Mint mark | None |
| Strike type | Proof |
| Mintage | 12,535 |
| Face value | 5¢ |
| Composition | 75% copper, 25% nickel |
| Weight | 5 grams |
| Diameter | 21.21 mm |
| Edge | Plain |
| Designer | Felix Schlag |
Other 1939 Jefferson Nickel issues
| Coin | Mintage | Type | Silver |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1939 Jefferson Nickel | 120,615,000 | Circulation strike | – |
| 1939 Jefferson Nickel Proof | 12,535 | Proof | – |
| 1939-D Jefferson Nickel | 3,514,000 | Circulation strike | – |
| 1939-S Jefferson Nickel | 6,630,000 | Circulation strike | – |
Mintage: United States nickel mintage figures (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0), compiled from US Mint records and the Guide Book of United States Coins. How we build these pages.