How Much Is A Nickel Worth? 5 Ways to Find the Value

livemint.com:

CoinValueChecker online on Google. One of the biggest drivers of a nickel's worth is which design type or series it belongs to. Over the U.S.

Mint's history of nickel production, there have been several distinct types issued, each with its own unique characteristics, keys dates, and conditional rarities that impact nickel value. Representing the first nickel five-cent pieces after the halt of half dimes, the Shield nickel features a shield and rays motif on the obverse. While many dates can still be bought relatively inexpensively, key issues like the 1867 Rays and 1877 Proof examples command strong premiums.

Also called the "V" nickel due to the Roman numeral V on the reverse, this 30-year series saw over a dozen different minor design variations and overdates. Standouts include the 1885 Proof, 1912-S, and the low-mintage 1913 Philadelphia issues. Arguably the most avidly collected and valuable classic nickel series overall is the Buffalo nickel.

Originally designed by James Earle Fraser, its iconic Native American and buffalo imagery quickly captured the American spirit. Key Buffalo nickel dates span from the 1913 Type 1 and Type 2 pieces to the low-mintage 1916, 1918/7-D overdate, 1926-S, and 1938-D among others. During World War II, the nickel's metallic composition temporarily changed to a 35% silver alloy to conserve nickel for the war effort.