1964-D Jefferson Nickel
Circulation strike struck at the Denver Mint · 1,787,297,160 made
- Mintage
- 1,787,297,160
- 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 1964-D Jefferson Nickel worth?
A worn 1964-D is a spender: face value. A bright uncirculated one, or one with a known error, is worth setting aside.
What would make yours worth more:
- Uncirculated condition with full original luster
- Full steps on Monticello (5FS or 6FS)
- A die variety or minting error
For market prices, check recent sold results for certified coins in the same grade.
Quick answers
- Is the 1964-D Jefferson Nickel rare?
- No. With 1.8 billion made, it's one of the most common Jefferson Nickels.
- Is the 1964-D Jefferson Nickel 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 1964 Jefferson Nickel?
- On the reverse, to the right of Monticello. On this coin the mark is D, for Denver.
- Which Denver dates near 1964 are scarcer?
- The 1968-D at 91,227,880, the 1959-D at 160,738,240, the 1960-D at 192,582,180, plus 4 more. So the 1964-D is one of the easier dates of its stretch.
- How many 1964-D Jefferson Nickel coins were made?
- 1,787,297,160.
What to check on your 1964-D
- Make sure the mint mark really is a D. A worn or filled mark can be misread. It's what separates your coin from the 1964 (1 billion made).
- Proof or circulation strike? A proof has mirror-like fields and frosted design details and was sold to collectors, not released in change. The 1964 Jefferson Nickel Proof (3,950,762 made) is the one to compare with.
- 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.
With 1,787,297,160 made, you can still find a 1964-D in rolls, old jars and inherited collections. The coins worth keeping are the uncirculated ones and any with a doubled die or other variety.
The story of the 1964-D
Denver ramped up hard in 1964: 1,787,297,160 coins, about 6.5 times the 1963 run. After that, Denver didn't make another until 1968.
1964 came to 1 billion, so neither mint's 1964 coin is much scarcer than the other.
Of the 63 Jefferson Nickels Denver struck between 1938 and 2003, none was made in bigger numbers. The scarcest Denver issue is the 1950-D at 2,630,030. No Jefferson Nickel of the 1960s had a bigger run.
Coin shortage years and no mint marks (1956 to 1967)
Output grew rapidly through the late 1950s and early 1960s, led by Denver, which struck more than 280 million in 1962. A nationwide coin shortage in the early 1960s, blamed on vending machines, hoarding and a booming economy, led the Mint to strike more than 2.8 billion nickels dated 1964, with production of that date continuing into 1965.
From 1965 to 1967 the Mint removed mint marks from all coins to discourage hoarding. Special Mint Sets with satin finish coins replaced proof sets. In 1966 Felix Schlag's initials, FS, were added below the bust, more than 25 years after his design first appeared. Coins from this era are abundant and rarely carry a premium unless they show full steps, a strong proof-like finish or a notable error.
Elsewhere in US coinage in 1964
The Kennedy half dollar was introduced months after President Kennedy's assassination. It was the last year of 90% silver dimes, quarters and halves. The Mint kept striking 1964-dated silver coins well after the year ended to fight a national coin shortage.
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 | 1964 |
| Mint | Denver Mint |
| Mint mark | "D" |
| Strike type | Circulation strike |
| Mintage | 1,787,297,160 |
| Face value | 5¢ |
| Composition | 75% copper, 25% nickel |
| Weight | 5 grams |
| Diameter | 21.21 mm |
| Edge | Plain |
| Designer | Felix Schlag |
Other 1964 Jefferson Nickel issues
| Coin | Mintage | Type | Silver |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 Jefferson Nickel | 1,024,672,000 | Circulation strike | – |
| 1964 Jefferson Nickel Proof | 3,950,762 | Proof | – |
| 1964-D Jefferson Nickel | 1,787,297,160 | 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.