What is the value of a 1948 nickel? (Errors, “D”, “S” & No Mint Marks)

The value of 1948 nickel in the circulated condition is about 0.10 to 1.75 dollars based on conditions. In uncirculated condition, 1948 nickel can be sold for 1200 dollars. Let discuss the What is the value of a 1948 nickel.

1948 Nickel Value Chart

1948 Nickel Mint Mark Good Fine XF MS60
No Mark $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $1,650.00
D 0 1 1 867
s 0 1 1 1200

What is the value of a 1948 nickel
History Of 1948 Jefferson Nickels

The first 5-cent US coins made of half dime were struck from 1794 to 1805 and the first nickel was used for circulation in 1966. These coins are used as an alternative to V nickles struck until 1913 and Buffalo nickles made from 1913 to 1938. First Jefferson Nickkle made it in 1938  and in 1948 nickel made it after ten years during the recovery of the US from WWII. These coins are part of a coin series made to tribute to US President Jefferson. The design of these coins was made by Felix Schlag. The Mint made a total of 145,382,000 1948 nickels out of them 89,348,000 were 1948 No Mint mark nickels, 44,734,000 1948 D nickels ,s, and 11,300,000 1948 S nickels.

Features Of 1948 Jefferson Nickels

The obverse of the 1948 nickel

The front side of the 1948 nickel has a photo of Thomas Jefferson facing left.  His photo was designed based on Jean-Antoine Houdon’s sculpture existing in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. There is a motto  IN GOD WE TRUST and LIBERTY are also written on the coins and the mint date is 1948.

 1948 Nickel Reverse Side

The back side of the 1948 coin has the residency of President Jefferson who is known as Monticello.  With that name, MONTICELLO is written on this side. The motto E PLURIBUS ENUM is written. The words UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and the denomination FIVE CENTS are also on the reverse of 1948. The composition of 1948 nickel was 75% copper and 25% nickel this was changed at the start of 1942.

Does a 1948 nickel have silver in it?

The 1948 nickel did not have real silver. Jefferson nickels except made from 1942 to 1945 comes with compositions of 56% copper, 35% silver, and 9% manganese. In the WARII time nickles were made with the use of fifty percent copper and fifty percent silver to reduce the use of nickles. When the war ended in 1946 mint again made nickel having a composition of 75% copper and 25%

1948 No Mint Mark Nickel Value

The 1948 no-mint mark coins were more than 89 million. So they are common coin types and can be easily found in circulation. Their reverse design makes them preferable for collectors. These coins can be found in circulated condition up to MS65 grades. Some coins with grade MS66 in good condition are available. In circulated conditions, 1948 nickel have a value of 0.25 dollars to 0.40 dollars. In uncirculated condition, they can be sold for 1200 dollars or higher.

1948 D Nickel  Value

The D mint made 44,734,000 1948 nickels. These coins have a D mint mark on the reverse side. Before the war, these coins had high quality and after the war their quality reduced but better than the P and S mint. These coins in MS66 grade and less are common types of coins and grade MS67 Full steps are rare and have high value.

  • Circulated condition=$0.30 – $0.90
  • Uncirculated condition = 194$
  • MS67 =867$

1948-S Nickel Value

The 1948 nickles with an S mint mark are fewer numbers made than P and D mint. Only 11,300,000 Jefferson nickles were made by S Mint in 1948. These coins are commonly available up to MS65 grade. Coins from MS66 grades are rare thousands exist in uncirculated conditions. The 1948 S nickles from MS67 and above grade are known as Full Steps coins and have a high value on the bases or rarity.

1948 S Value Range is here for different grades

  • Avg Circualated= $0.30 – $0.60
  • MS60 to MS65=$0.70 – $20
  • MS67=75$
  • MS60= 1.25$
  • MS61= 1.50$
  • MS62= 2$
  • MS63= 3$
  • MS64=4$
  • MS65=7$
  • MS66=18$
  • MS67=165$
  • MS68=$2,240 sold in auction 2021

 1948 Nickel Errors List

 1948 Nickel Errors List

Repunched Mintmark Error

The 1948 repunched mintmark nickel error occurs when a minting person punches the mintmark on the die two times doubling the mintmark that is called repunched. The 1948 nickel is rare with a repunched mintmark error and has a high value. These coins can have value from seven to fifteen dollars.

Full Steps Errors

The coins with FUll steps are not considered errors. it looks like the real design and shows 5 to 6 steps on the front side or the Jefferson house building on the back side of the coin. They are not easily seen and look smudged. So these coins are rare and have high value for collectors.

  • Low-quality MS grade 22 to 300 dollars
  • MS67 = 2000 dolars sold in auction.
  • 1948 D Fs =11 to 350 dollars
  • 1948 D MS67 Fs=  $6,325  sold in auction 2006
  • 1948 S FS with MS64 grade =12 dollars
  • 1948 S FS with mS67 grade=800 dollars
  • 1948 S FS sold in $12,000 in 2021.

Double Die Error

If the die is not properly aligned the coin’s design to a blank planchet causes the doubling effects on photo and letters of different words written on the coins. The common type of doubling effect exists in the photo of the president’s eye. Coins with this error can be sold for  $25 to $50.

Die Break Error

The 1948 nickel die break error occurs when a small part of the coins strikes the die breaks during minting and becomes part of the die. It resulted in the line, marks, and bumps on coins. This error can easily seen on the back side of coins and can easily recognized. it is an uncommon error that is liked by collectors and can be sold for $3 to $100.

 Off-Center 1948 Nickel Errors

During the coins minting process coins are positioned at the center of the die to make sure that design is accurately shifted. So in some cases die strike from some distance of the center. So some parts of the design are missing. The value of coins based on a percentage of design shifted from the center.

  • Five to ten percent off-center value is 3 to 10 dollars.
  • Fifty percent off-center is 75 dollars or higher.

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Faqs

How to Tell If A 1948 Nickel Is Rare?

The 1948 nickles are not a rare type of coins since they were a larger number made. So in circulated conditions, they are of face value. These coins with different errors like off-center, die cuds, doubled die error, etc make them high value.

Is a 1948 nickel valuable?

The worth of 1948 nickel coins is based on condition. The 1948 nickel has no damage and a clean look of MS67 grade and based on rarity can have a value of more than 1000 dollars.

Does a 1948 nickel have silver in it?

There is no nickel content in 1948 nickel is made with the use of 75% copper and 25% nickel.

How much is a 1948 Jefferson Nickel worth?

  • 1948 SMS 67= $12,000 sold in auction David Lawrence RC in 2021
  • 1,948 MS 67= $1,650 sold in auction 2014
  • 1948 D MS 67=  $867 sold in 2014
  • 1948 D MS 67 FS = $6,325 sold in 2006
  • 1948 MS 66 FS = $4,800 sold in 2021
  • 1948 S MS 68= $2,240 sold in 2021

How much is a 1948 no-mint nickel worth?

  • Low grade=$0.30 – $0.70
  • Excellent =$0.75 – $35
  • MS67= 1300 dollars

What is the most valuable Jefferson Nickel?

The most valuable nickels are

  • 1954 S MS 67= $35,250
  • 1969 D MS 65= $33,600
  • 1942 D MS 64 =$32,200
  • 1,940PR 68= $28,750
  • 1938 D MS 68+=  $33,600
  • 1964 SMS SP 68 =$32,900
  • 1949 D MS 67= $32,900

What coin sold for 4.2 million?

Walton 1913 Liberty Head nickel

What nickel sold for 4.5 million?

Eliasberg 1913 Liberty Head nickel

Why are nickels so expensive?

The process of minting nickel is costly due to high cost of the cost of extracting and processing the ore, while the prices of refining nickel can also add to the total expense.

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