1997-P Jefferson Nickel Uncirculated
Collector uncirculated struck at the Philadelphia Mint · 25,000 made
- Mintage
- 25,000
- 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 1997-P Jefferson Nickel Uncirculated worth?
It's scarcer than a typical date, so even circulated examples sell above face. The best uncirculated coins are where the money is.
What would make yours worth more:
- Grade and, for proofs, strong cameo contrast
- A die variety or minting error
- Certification by PCGS or NGC, which buyers expect for scarce dates
For market prices, check recent sold results for certified coins in the same grade.
Quick answers
- Is the 1997-P Jefferson Nickel Uncirculated rare?
- Fairly. The Mint made 25,000 for collectors. Most were kept in their original packaging.
- Is the 1997-P Jefferson Nickel Uncirculated 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 1997 Jefferson Nickel?
- On the obverse, near the date. "P" appears from 1980. On this coin the mark is P, for Philadelphia.
- How many 1997-P Jefferson Nickel Uncirculated coins were made?
- 25,000.
What to check on your 1997-P
- Make sure the mint mark really is a P. A worn or filled mark can be misread. It's what separates your coin from the 1997-D (467 million made).
- 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.
The story of the 1997-P
Matte finishes and the final original Monticello years (1993 to 2003)
Special matte finish nickels were made for collector sets in 1994 and 1997. The 1994-P came in a Jefferson coin and currency set marking his 250th birthday, while the 1997-P came in a set honoring the U.S. Botanic Garden. The 1997-P matte is scarce, with only about 25,000 made. Output climbed past a billion at each mint in 1999. Denver struck 1.5 billion in 2000.
Demand eased after 2000. Production fell to about 440 million at Philadelphia and 383 million at Denver in 2003, the last year of the original Schlag design before the Westward Journey series. Coins from these years are abundant. Full steps examples are generally easier to find than for earlier dates. San Francisco proofs show deep mirrors with frosted designs.
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 | 1997 |
| Mint | Philadelphia Mint |
| Mint mark | "P" |
| Strike type | Collector uncirculated |
| Mintage | 25,000 |
| Face value | 5¢ |
| Composition | 75% copper, 25% nickel |
| Weight | 5 grams |
| Diameter | 21.21 mm |
| Edge | Plain |
| Designer | Felix Schlag |
Other 1997 Jefferson Nickel issues
| Coin | Mintage | Type | Silver |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-P Jefferson Nickel | 470,972,000 | Circulation strike | – |
| 1997-P Jefferson Nickel Uncirculated | 25,000 | Collector uncirculated | – |
| 1997-D Jefferson Nickel | 466,640,000 | Circulation strike | – |
| 1997-S Jefferson Nickel Proof | 2,796,678 | 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.