Lot 005Coin values
1943-D Jefferson War Nickel
DENVER (D) · 35% SILVER, 56% COPPER, 9% MANGANESE · 15,294,000 STRUCK
Worth about $3.50–$5.50 circulated and $80–$100 in MS-65.
The 1943-D Jefferson War Nickel is a scarcer date from the Denver Mint, with 15,294,000 pieces struck. In circulated grades (G-4 to EF-40) our estimate is $3.50–$5.50, and a well-preserved MS-65 example is estimated at $80–$100.
Type coin shown: Jefferson war nickel design: 1938 obverse (the obverse did not change) with the reverse of a 1945-P war nickel, large P above Monticello. We do not yet hold a licensed photograph of the 1943-D Jefferson War Nickel itself, so this is the nearest dated coin of the same design. The design is the same; the date, mint mark and condition of your coin will differ. Photograph: 1938 Jefferson nickel obverse (same design as the war nickels), National Numismatic Collection and 1945-P Jefferson war nickel reverse with the large P above Monticello (photograph by Bobby131313). Public domain, credit US Mint (coin), National Numismatic Collection (photograph by Jaclyn Nash), via Wikimedia Commons.
- Mint
- Denver (D)
- Composition
- 35% silver, 56% copper, 9% manganese
- Mintage
- 15,294,000
- Weight and size
- 5 g · 21.2 mm
- Designer
- Felix Schlag
Scarcer than 100% of the 11 issues in the War Nickel series with a recorded mintage. 15,294,000 struck. Mintage is the number struck, not the number that survive.
Large mint mark above the dome
Silver war nickels carry a large P, D or S above Monticello. Nickels dated 1942 with a small mint mark to the right of the building are copper-nickel, not silver.
Wear and toning
The silver alloy tones to a gray or dull color, and many have been cleaned. Check the large mint mark and the steps of Monticello for wear.
Do not confuse with later nickels
Nickels dated 1946 and later are copper-nickel again. Only the 1942 to 1945 issues with the large mint mark are 35% silver.
About the 1943-D War Nickel
How much is a 1943-D Jefferson War Nickel worth?
Lustre's editorial estimate (Oct 2026) is $3.50–$5.50 for circulated examples (G-4 to EF-40) and $80–$100 in MS-65. These are estimates, not an appraisal or market data. A coin in the grade you hold may sell for less at a dealer, who needs a margin.
Is a 1943-D Jefferson War Nickel silver?
Yes. It is 35% silver, 56% copper, 9% manganese and weighs 5 g, which is 0.0563 troy ounces of pure silver. Its melt value is that weight multiplied by the current silver spot price, shown live on this page.
How many 1943-D Jefferson War Nickels were minted?
15,294,000 were struck at the Denver Mint.
Where is the mint mark on a Jefferson War Nickel?
On the reverse, a large P, D or S above the dome of Monticello. Wartime nickels are the only ones to carry a P for Philadelphia.
Is my 1943-D Jefferson War Nickel rare?
It is a scarcer date. It is worth more than a common date in better grades.
More Jefferson War Nickel values
Where these numbers come from
Jefferson nickel, Wikipedia: wartime composition, weight, diameter, edge, mint mark position, designer, 1943 overdate.
Jefferson nickel mintage, Landofcoins.com: mintage by year and mint.
Lustre editorial grade-value estimates, Lustre: grade value ranges (estimates, not market data).
gold-api.com spot prices (reference level for estimates), gold-api.com: reference spot prices behind the estimates.
How the estimates are made. Facts reviewed Oct 2026.