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IT might be worth double-checking your spare change for a nickel from a specific year, as it could be worth some serious money.
Certain aspects of the coin make it exceedingly rare and could help value it for several thousand dollars at auction.
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The year to watch out for is 1985, and there should be a small “P” in the bottom right corner near former President Thomas Jefferson’s portrait on the obverse (heads) side of the nickel.
That identifies where it was minted — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
In January, a 1985-P MS67+ Full Steps nickel sold for a whopping $9,066, according to a listing from Heritage Auctions.
The MS notation is for “Mint State,” and the number that follows it is a rating provided by the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) that determines a coin’s condition.
The scale goes from 1-70, meaning the MS67 is a near-mint condition coin.
Additionally, the nickel was regarded as the “sole finest” to ever be discovered from 1985, according to the PCGS.
Appraisers noted minimal areas where the dye on the coin had faded over the years and praised its radiant “greenish gold, champagne, and lilac-blue hues.”
SEE THE STEPS?
On the reverse (tails) side of the 1985 nickel, which showed President Jefferson’s Monticello home in Virginia, appraisers emphasized that the steps leading up the residence were “razor sharp.”
The steps also have to do with the “Full Steps” notation in the grading of the coin and are a major part of its value.
It’s used in reference to there being five or six clear and visible steps leading to the Monticello residence.
The one that sold at auction for $9,066 not only had the steps, but it was a proof strike.
STRIKE SITUATION
Proof is used to reference the coin’s finish, per The United States Mint.
“Proof blanks are specially treated, hand-polished, and cleaned to ensure high-quality strikes,” an explanation from the Mint reads.
“The blanks are then fed into the presses fitted with specially polished dies and struck at least twice.”
Rare coins
You may be holding something valuable in your wallet. Check out these articles on rare coins to see if you may have a treasure hidden deep in your pockets.
This is different from what most coins are in circulation, which is known as a business strike.
Coins that receive a business strike are the ones ready for American commerce on a day-to-day basis.
They can still be very valuable, especially if they have errors.
Although finding a 1985 proof strike coin would likely be more valuable to collectors.
KEEP SEARCHING
There are also nickels from other years that you might want to watch out for.
Especially old versions, including one from 1879, can be worth up to $84,000 if they have a crucial “faint detail.”
An even older nickel minted in 1867 can get eager collectors up to $109,250 because of a “weak” quality.
Others minted in the 20th century can still bring in over $100,000, including a special “buffalo variation made from 1913 to 1938.
