What Is A 1972 Jefferson Nickel Made Of?
1972 Nickels feature the bust of President Jefferson, and have a 75% Copper, 25% Nickel composition. Since 1938, when it succeeded the Buffalo Nickel, the Jefferson Nickel has been the five-cent coin produced by the United States Mint. Felix Schlag’s profile of founding father and third U.S. President Thomas Jefferson appeared on the copper-nickel coin’s obverse from 1938 to 2004.
The face of Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), the third President of the United States (1801–1809), facing left, with his long hair wrapped with a ribbon is depicted on the coin’s obverse within a simple border. Initials of the designer, FS, below the shoulder truncation (for Felix Schlag).
IN GOD WE TRUST is written around the left. A five-pointed star in the right-hand corner divides the word LIBERTY from the year of issue: 1972.
The Philadelphia Mint does not stamp its coins with a mint mark. The Denver Mint’s or San Francisco Mint’s mint mark is a tiny letter D or S, placed beneath the date’s final digit to the right of the image, respectively.
The reverse of the coin features Thomas Jefferson’s primary estate, Monticello, which he created himself, in its centre, surrounded by a simple rim. Its name appears below that: MONTICELLO. The amount and denomination are written in words around there: FIVE CENTS. The motto E PLURIBUS UNUM is displayed above (from Latin: “Out of many, one”).
The legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA is written around below in bigger letters.
1972 saw the start of the Watergate scandal, and NASA’s space program was officially launched. Don McLean’s American Pie was at the top of the charts, at the Godfather was the biggest box office hit of the year.
1972 Jefferson Nickel Varieties
1972 Nickel With No Mint Mark
Year: 1972
Face Value: $0.5
Composition: 75% copper, 25% nickel
Total Weight: 5 g
Diameter: 21.21 mm
Thickness: 1.75 mm
Edge: Plain
Minted in: Philadelphia
Quantity Minted: 202,036,000
photo source: www.usacoinbook.com
1972 D Nickel
Year: 1972
Face Value: $0.5
Composition: 75% copper, 25% nickel
Total Weight: 5 g
Diameter: 21.21 mm
Thickness: 1.95 mm
Edge: Plain
Minted in: Denver
Quantity Minted: 351,694,600
photo source: www.usacoinbook.com
1972 S Nickel
Year: 1972
Face Value: $0.5
Composition: 75% copper, 25% nickel
Total Weight: 5 g
Diameter: 21.21 mm
Thickness: 1.95 mm
Edge: Plain
Minted in: San Francisco
Quantity Minted: 3,260,996
photo source: www.usacoinbook.com
In 1972, the only type of Jefferson Nickels Minted in San Francisco were proof coins.
List of errors
There are no widespread recorded errors found in the 1972 Jefferson Nickel, and instead, all errors appear on a coin-by-coin basis. Depicted below are some examples of interesting errors, seen for sale online.
1972-D Jefferson Nickel Split Die Error NGC MS66
photo source: www.hyattcoins.com
Jefferson Nickel Flipover Double Struck in Collar Error 1972 – PCGS AU58
photo source: www.hyattcoins.com
1972-D 5C Jefferson Nickel Struck on Cent Planchet MS64 Brown PCGS
photo source: coins.ha.com
How Much Is A 1972 Jefferson Nickel Worth Today?
With a melt value of $0.0574, the intrinsic metal value of 1972 nickels barely exceed the face value of the coin, meaning the value of this coin comes from factors such as the coins’ condition, provenance, errors, and so on. Listed below is a chart for the values of 1972 nickels in varying conditions.
| Coin | G | VG | F | VF | XF | AU | Uncirculated |
| 1972-P | $0.15 | $0.15 | $0.15 | $0.15 | $0.15 | $0.15 | $0.42 |
| 1972-D | $0.05 | $0.05 | $0.05 | $0.12 | $0.18 | $0.40 | $0.56 |
| 1972-S | – | – | – | – | – | – | £0.95 |
Where To Buy Or Sell 1972 Nickels?
Due to their low value, 1972 Nickels aren’t too sought after, unless they possess a unique quality, such as an error. Because of this, you can still find 1972 Nickels in your pocket change, or can pick up a nice condition coin online for a buck or two, though there’s little value in buying or selling these coins outside of sentimental value.
In the case of exception 1972 Nickels, and Nickels with errors, values can increase into the hundreds of dollars. Some examples can be found on sites such as eBay, but for more peace of mind, recognizied coin dealers and auction houses such as Heritage Auctions are more advisable.
FAQs
How do you know if your nickel is valuable?
1972 Nickels themselves aren’t inherently valuable and aren’t made of any special metals. Instead, check your coin over for any errors such as clipping, doubled dies, planchet errors, and so on.
Is a 1972 nickel rare?
1972 Nickels are relatively common coins and can still be found in your pocket change from time to time. As mentioned before, it is only the error examples of this coin that hold any significant value.
What year nickels are worth keeping?
The most collectable forms of nickels are the Buffalo Nickels which were some of the most loved pieces of coinage thanks to their striking buffalo design. Some years of note for this coin are 1917, 1918, and 1919. The 1880 shield nickel is another sought after coin. There’s only one year for ‘exception’ Jefferson nickels, and that is a 1964 Jefferson Nickel with Mirror Brockage which is where the head of the coin appears on both sides.
