United States 1945-S 5 cents
This specimen was lot 92198 in Stack's Bowers June 2020 auction, where it sold for $70. The lot description noted, "1945-S Jefferson Nickel. MS-66 (NGC)."
The Jefferson nickel replaced the buffalo nickel in 1938 and this design was used until 2003. Wartime five cent pieces (1942-45) were made of copper-silver-manganese (shown here) but the prewar composition was resumed in 1946. The designer's initials were added to the obverse in 1966 and in 1968 the mintmark was moved from the reverse to the obverse. Some rare varieties and errors exist but no dates are rare. Only the 1939-D, 1939-S and 1942-D can be counted as even slightly scarce. Many dates are rare in fully-struck condition and collectors compete for these.
Recorded Mintage: 58,939,000, a new record for the San Francisco mint.
Specification: 5 g, 0.350 silver, 0.560 copper and 0.090 manganese, 21.2 mm diameter.
Catalog reference: KM 192a.
- Yeoman, R. S., and Kenneth Bressett (ed.), A Guide Book of United States Coins, 65th Ed., Atlanta, GA: Whitman Publishing, 2011.
- Alexander, David T., Coin World Comprehensive Catalog & Encyclopedia of United States Coins, Sidney, OH: Amos Press, 1995.
- Breen, Walter H., Walter Breen's Complete Encyclopedia of U. S. and Colonial Coins, New York: Doubleday, 1987.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
Link to: