1982-P Jefferson Nickel
Circulation strike struck at the Philadelphia Mint · 292,355,000 made
- Mintage
- 292,355,000
- 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 1982-P Jefferson Nickel worth?
In circulated condition it's worth face value. Only uncirculated coins with full original luster, or a recognized variety, carry a premium.
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 1982-P Jefferson Nickel rare?
- Not by date: 292 million were struck. A sharp uncirculated coin or a known variety is what makes one special.
- Is the 1982-P 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 1982 Jefferson Nickel?
- On the obverse, near the date. "P" appears from 1980. On this coin the mark is P, for Philadelphia.
- Which Philadelphia dates near 1982 are scarcer?
- None. Within five years either side, no Philadelphia issue had a smaller mintage than the 1982-P.
- How many 1982-P Jefferson Nickel coins were made?
- 292,355,000.
What to check on your 1982-P
- Make sure the mint mark really is a P. A worn or filled mark can be misread. It's what separates your coin from the 1982-D (374 million 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 1982-S Jefferson Nickel Proof (3,857,479 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 292 million made, the 1982-P still turns up in everyday change. Keep yours only if it looks uncirculated or shows a variety; otherwise it's worth face value.
The story of the 1982-P
Output at Philadelphia slipped to 292,355,000 in 1982, from 658 million the year before. In 1983 the figure was 562 million.
1982-D came to 374 million, so neither mint's 1982 coin is much scarcer than the other.
Across Philadelphia's 64 Jefferson Nickel issues, the hardest to find is the 1955 with 7,888,000 made. The 1982-P is one of the easier ones. No Jefferson Nickel of the 1980s had a smaller run.
The P mint mark and high output (1980 to 1992)
In 1980 Philadelphia began placing a P on its nickels, the first time since the wartime silver years. The mint mark has been used ever since. Output ranged from a few hundred million to nearly 900 million at each mint, with Philadelphia's 1982 figure of 292 million among the lowest of the decade. San Francisco proofs continued every year. Prestige proof sets from 1983 onward included the nickel.
Collectors grade these coins by how many of Monticello's steps are complete. On dates struck with tired dies a full steps coin can be hard to find. Most coins from this era are common and found in uncirculated condition in rolls and mint sets. Errors such as off center strikes, clipped planchets and struck through debris are popular finds from this high volume period.
Elsewhere in US coinage in 1982
Rising copper prices led the Mint to change the cent from 95% copper to copper-plated zinc partway through 1982, so cents of this year come in both compositions and two date sizes.
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 | 1982 |
| Mint | Philadelphia Mint |
| Mint mark | "P" |
| Strike type | Circulation strike |
| Mintage | 292,355,000 |
| Face value | 5¢ |
| Composition | 75% copper, 25% nickel |
| Weight | 5 grams |
| Diameter | 21.21 mm |
| Edge | Plain |
| Designer | Felix Schlag |
Other 1982 Jefferson Nickel issues
| Coin | Mintage | Type | Silver |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982-P Jefferson Nickel | 292,355,000 | Circulation strike | – |
| 1982-D Jefferson Nickel | 373,726,544 | Circulation strike | – |
| 1982-S Jefferson Nickel Proof | 3,857,479 | Proof | – |
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.