Is there any reason to collect nickels from the 1940s and 1950s?

[DustDevilMarc]

Is there any reason to collect nickels from the 1940's and 1950s'?

I have been going through boxes of nickels and occasionally find War nickels and Buffalo nickels. (I love the Buffalo nickels - I think they are great.)

I do find lots of nickels from the 1940's and the 1950's. Is there any reason to keep them all? Or, should I keep only those that are very rare and hard to find - such as the 1943P, 3 over 2 - of which I have none.

I appreciate hearing what you have to say. Thanks!

 

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[Spartcom5]

Obviously keep all war nickels. As for the pre 60s I keep most of them I'm not sure why however.... They do stack up quite fast and that leaves the question why keep these? I still don't know either I know there are some varieties to look for. This is a great place to look at the varieties Jefferson Nickels - US Coin Prices and Values

 

[Cobbolicious]

Well, they're worth maybe ten cents if you look at eBay completed auctions, so I'd keep them rather than throw them back. Still, you'd have to collect fifty rolls just to earn $100, and then you're earning less than min. wage.

 

[kingskid1611]

Collect buffs and war nickels the rest is just baggage. For the late forties and fifties to be worth much they have to be almost perfect.

 

[ArkieBassMan]

I personally would keep all the '38 D&S, '39 D&S, and the '50D. Those are the hard non-silver Jeffersons to find, and I think they'd easily command enough premium to warrant keeping.

 

[jeff of pa]

Yes ! Because
very few do

everybody & their brother collected the state Quarter set.
they will never be worth a quarter Each, really

Nickles have a better chance of becoming rare .
personally 30's 40's & 50's never escape back into Circulation around me.
unless they are barely identifiable

 

[NEPADIGGER7]

i second what Jeff said...besides a nickel will be worth more than a nickel soon!

 

[silvercounselor]

What I do is set aside all the nickels that were minted less than about 20 million. Then I sell them on ebay, just sold a roll for $14 then bought a few silver coins. But it really depends on what your want to save and collect. Some people collect all 1961 and below but I don't have a separate room in my house to just store cases of coins.

 

[boristhespider88]

I just save 1950-D and all 1938 and 1939.

 

[port ewen ace]

'49-S, '49-D D over S, '54-S & S over D, '55-D & D over S, plus any with full steps and pillars, plus all with full mint luster. sold a '56 that was high MS for $15 last year. BUY A REDBOOK!!. errors are common with many P mint nics., look for CUDS, off center with double rim, greasers, die clashes, clips.

 

[fistfulladirt]

My collection of 40's and 50's accumulated for years, recently dumped, to spur future collectors.
I also dumped my no date buffalos, low grade IH's, and others, for the same reason.

 

[galenrog]

There is a niche market for nearly everything. Let's look at older Jeffs. In addition to the normal keepers, such as errors, proofs, war nicks, and rare dates, I put older Jeffs into decades. Specifically 1938 - 1949 (less war nicks) and 1950 - 1959. I also put together complete and partial sets on request.

What I get for them is all over the map. 1938 - 1949 typically get $175 - $250 per box. 1950 - 1959 typically get $150 - $200. They are stacked only until sold.

 

[Pete_Iredale]

Still, you'd have to collect fifty rolls just to earn $100, and then you're earning less than min. wage.

Sure, but if you are already going through them, then it hardly takes any extra time to remove the older ones. I just set everything pre 1960 aside, and maybe someday I'll sell the rolls of them.

 

[Honest Samuel]

Keep them all, and buy coin magazines to find out how much they are worth. You had found great finds. Keep it up.

 

[thewatchers]

I myself keep all the older change. I look at it like this. They aren't worth much now but neither was the shield nickel in its day. But somewhere there's a guy that ended up inheriting his uncles coin collection. And in that coin collection he just happened to have a big can full of shield nickels because the uncles father set them back when he noticed they were slowly getting more scarce. Even now I've noticed the regular old Washington quarters are slowly showing up less and less and there will be a day where we wished we kept those coins. So if you got the room and spare money, there's a good chance a family member will be glad you did.