The 2009 Nickel Is Rare & Valuable… Here’s Why! (Everything You Need To Know About 2009 Nickel Values): Since 1992, I’ve been collecting pocket change coins, and I’ve never had such a hard time finding new coins from any given year!
The 2009 Nickel Is Rare & Valuable… Here’s Why! (Everything You Need To Know About 2009 Nickel Values)
The Story Behind 2009 Nickels
Older people remember the Great Recession. It was a time of economic unease after the housing market crash and massive layoffs in many industries. It was a challenging time for job search.
The recession ended in mid-2009, but the economy didn’t immediately recover. It plagued the economy. Some sectors took years to recover, and many housing prices took nearly a decade to reach pre-2007 levels.
As expected, recessions reduce spending. This may reduce coin demand. The U.S. Mint has reduced circulating coin mintages during recessions, such as in the early 1920s and mid-1950s. The U.S. Mint had its smallest business-strike mintages in decades in 2009.
Millions of Americans were unaware at first. Later in 2009, the smaller nickel mintages were revealed. Coin forums and articles informed me about the 2009 nickel mintages. Many 2009 nickels were hoarded by collectors and others “in the know.” That’s why I couldn’t get these coins in pocket change for so long!
2009 Nickel Values
2009 nickels had low mintages, but do they have higher values?
Both yes and no…
No, 2009 nickels from your pocket change won’t make you rich fast. Yes, 2009-P and 2009-D nickels are worth slightly more than comparable pieces from other years.
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2009-P Nickel Value
Just under 40 million 2009-P nickels were made, making it the rarer of the two business-strike nickels. In circulation, a 2009-P nickel is worth 5 cents.
Uncirculated 2009-P nickels average 50 cents to $1, higher than other years in that era. That’s fine if you can find uncirculated coins from bank rolls at face value. I found several 2009 nickels that way. A 2023 auction sold the most valuable 2009-P nickel, Mint State-69 with Full Steps details, for $395.
2009-D Nickel Value
In 2009, the Denver Mint produced more than 46 million nickels, but that was a fraction of most years since the 1960s.
With 2009-D and 2009-P nickels, the relative rarity of the 2009 nickel does not indicate a premium for circulated examples. Worn 2009-D nickels are worth 5 cents.
Most uncirculated 2009-D nickels sell for 50 cents to $1. Mint State-66 with Full Steps details is the most valuable 2009-D nickel. It sold for $295 in 2023.
2009-S Nickel Value
Finding 2009-P and 2009-D nickels from pocket change is difficult, but finding a 2009-S nickel can seem impossible! Because the San Francisco Mint only struck them for collectors. None of the 2009-S nickels were circulated because they were sold in proof sets.
Modern proofs like the 2009-S nickel use polished blanks struck by specially prepared dies on high-tonnage presses. This ensures high-quality coins. The San Francisco Mint struck 2,179,867 nickels in 2009, worth $3–5. The most valuable 2009-S nickel was Proof-70 Deep Cameo at $140 in 2022.
Rare 2009 Error Nickels To Look For
2009 die-break nickels A 2009 nickel with raised lines may be a die break, a coin struck by cracked dies. Die breaks can be valuable and sell for $5 to $10 or more, depending on size and location.
2009 off-center nickels— Find one of these and you could have a valuable coin! Around 50% off-center coins with a complete date can fetch more than $150, while those 5% to 10% off-center may only fetch $20 to $30.
2009 off-metal nickels— The Jefferson nickel dies struck a penny or dime planchet, which are smaller than nickels, in this rare error. Such pieces can cost hundreds, and a 2009 off-metal nickel error could sell for $300–$500.
