1966 Jefferson Nickel
Circulation strike struck at the Philadelphia Mint · 156,208,283 made
- Mintage
- 156,208,283
- 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 1966 Jefferson Nickel worth?
Worn examples are worth face value and can be spent. Keep it only if it looks uncirculated or shows a known variety.
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 1966 Jefferson Nickel rare?
- No. 156 million were made, a typical run for the series. Condition and varieties decide its value, not the date.
- Is the 1966 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 1966 Jefferson Nickel?
- No mint mark. Mint marks were suspended in 1965–1967.
- Which Philadelphia dates near 1966 are scarcer?
- The 1961 at 73,640,000, the 1962 at 97,384,000, the 1971 at 106,884,000, plus 2 more. So the 1966 is one of the easier dates of its stretch.
- How many 1966 Jefferson Nickel coins were made?
- 156,208,283.
What to check on your 1966
- There's no mint mark on this one, so the date and condition are what matter.
- There is no mint mark to look for. The Mint omitted mint marks from 1965 to 1967, so coins struck at Philadelphia, Denver and San Francisco look identical.
- 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 156 million made, the 1966 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 1966
Output at Philadelphia climbed to 156,208,283 in 1966, from 136 million the year before. The next year it made 107 million (1967).
No other mint struck it for circulation that year, so every 1966 you find is from Philadelphia.
Philadelphia struck the Jefferson Nickel in 64 issues between 1938 and 2003. By mintage this one lands in the scarcer half, while the key for that mint is the 1955 (7,888,000). Within the 1960s it's 9th smallest of 17, between the 1965 (136 million) and the 1963 (176 million).
Coin shortage years and no mint marks (1956 to 1967)
Output grew rapidly through the late 1950s and early 1960s, led by Denver, which struck more than 280 million in 1962. A nationwide coin shortage in the early 1960s, blamed on vending machines, hoarding and a booming economy, led the Mint to strike more than 2.8 billion nickels dated 1964, with production of that date continuing into 1965.
From 1965 to 1967 the Mint removed mint marks from all coins to discourage hoarding. Special Mint Sets with satin finish coins replaced proof sets. In 1966 Felix Schlag's initials, FS, were added below the bust, more than 25 years after his design first appeared. Coins from this era are abundant and rarely carry a premium unless they show full steps, a strong proof-like finish or a notable error.
Elsewhere in US coinage in 1966
Mint marks were still omitted on circulating coins and Special Mint Sets continued in place of proof sets.
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 | 1966 |
| Mint | Philadelphia Mint |
| Mint mark | None |
| Strike type | Circulation strike |
| Mintage | 156,208,283 |
| Face value | 5¢ |
| Composition | 75% copper, 25% nickel |
| Weight | 5 grams |
| Diameter | 21.21 mm |
| Edge | Plain |
| Designer | Felix Schlag |
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.