1987-D Jefferson Nickel
Circulation strike struck at the Denver Mint · 410,590,604 made
- Mintage
- 410,590,604
- 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 1987-D Jefferson Nickel worth?
A worn 1987-D is a spender: face value. A bright uncirculated one, or one with a known error, is worth setting aside.
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 1987-D Jefferson Nickel rare?
- No. 411 million were made, a typical run for the series. Condition and varieties decide its value, not the date.
- Is the 1987-D 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 1987 Jefferson Nickel?
- On the obverse, near the date. "P" appears from 1980. On this coin the mark is D, for Denver.
- Which Denver dates near 1987 are scarcer?
- The 1986-D at 361,819,140, the 1982-D at 373,726,544. So the 1987-D is on the scarcer side for those years.
- How many 1987-D Jefferson Nickel coins were made?
- 410,590,604.
What to check on your 1987-D
- Make sure the mint mark really is a D. A worn or filled mark can be misread. It's what separates your coin from the 1987-P (371 million made).
- Proof or circulation strike? A proof has mirror-like fields and frosted design details and was sold to collectors, not released in change. The 1987-S Jefferson Nickel Proof (4,227,728 made) is the one to compare with.
- 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 411 million made, the 1987-D 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 1987-D
Output at Denver climbed to 410,590,604 in 1987, from 362 million the year before. The next year it made 664 million (1988-D).
1987-P came to 371 million, so neither mint's 1987 coin is much scarcer than the other.
Denver struck the Jefferson Nickel in 63 issues between 1938 and 2003. By mintage this one lands in the more common half, while the key for that mint is the 1950-D (2,630,030). Within the 1980s it's 6th smallest of 20, between the 1982-D (374 million) and the 1985-D (460 million).
The P mint mark and high output (1980 to 1992)
In 1980 Philadelphia began placing a P on its nickels, the first time since the wartime silver years. The mint mark has been used ever since. Output ranged from a few hundred million to nearly 900 million at each mint, with Philadelphia's 1982 figure of 292 million among the lowest of the decade. San Francisco proofs continued every year. Prestige proof sets from 1983 onward included the nickel.
Collectors grade these coins by how many of Monticello's steps are complete. On dates struck with tired dies a full steps coin can be hard to find. Most coins from this era are common and found in uncirculated condition in rolls and mint sets. Errors such as off center strikes, clipped planchets and struck through debris are popular finds from this high volume period.
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 | 1987 |
| Mint | Denver Mint |
| Mint mark | "D" |
| Strike type | Circulation strike |
| Mintage | 410,590,604 |
| Face value | 5¢ |
| Composition | 75% copper, 25% nickel |
| Weight | 5 grams |
| Diameter | 21.21 mm |
| Edge | Plain |
| Designer | Felix Schlag |
Other 1987 Jefferson Nickel issues
| Coin | Mintage | Type | Silver |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987-P Jefferson Nickel | 371,499,481 | Circulation strike | – |
| 1987-D Jefferson Nickel | 410,590,604 | Circulation strike | – |
| 1987-S Jefferson Nickel Proof | 4,227,728 | Proof | – |
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.