The Complete 1943 Nickel Value Guide

The 1943/2-P overdate is the single most historically significant variety in the Jefferson nickel series — and the only overdate the series has ever produced. It occurred in late 1942 when the Philadelphia Mint's Engraving Department prepared 1943-dated dies by using a 1943 hub to strike over an existing die that still bore the 1942 date. A single die was produced with this error, and it went on to strike an estimated 20,000 to 50,000 coins before being retired.

On genuine examples, the numeral "3" in the date shows a distinctive hook or barb-like tail at its lower tip — the remnant of the curved bottom of the "2" that was not fully obliterated. Under a 10x loupe, this hook is unmistakable. The "4" in the date may also appear slightly widened or doubled. The variety was noticed as early as 1948 but not confirmed until 1977 when Delma K. Romines discovered an uncirculated example whose sharp details left no doubt about the overdate nature of the die.

Collector demand for this coin has remained robust for decades because it occupies a unique position: it is the only overdate in an otherwise long and largely variety-free series. Approximately 1,000 examples have been certified by PCGS and NGC combined, with around 20% earning the Full Steps designation. The Full Steps premium is substantial — an MS-67 FS example sold for $16,675 at Heritage Auctions in June 2008, the all-time auction record for any 1943 nickel.

The 1943-P Doubled Die Obverse, nicknamed the "Doubled Eye" variety, produces one of the most visually arresting errors in the Jefferson nickel series. The error originated during die preparation: when the hub struck the working die multiple times to fully impress the design, the die and hub shifted very slightly between impressions. Every coin subsequently struck from this flawed die carries identical doubling — a manufacturing defect, not circulation damage.

The doubling is most dramatically concentrated on Jefferson's left eye, which appears to stare back with two overlapping irises — giving the coin its "Doubled Eye" nickname catalogued as FS-106 by CONECA. Secondary doubling is also visible on the lettering of "LIBERTY," "IN GOD WE TRUST," and the numerals of the date "1943." Under a 5x loupe, the eye doubling is apparent even to a beginner; the inscription doubling generally requires 10x magnification. At least two distinct DDO varieties are documented; FS-106 is the strongest and most sought-after.

PCGS CoinFacts estimates only 400 to 600 examples exist across all grades, making this scarcer than the overdate in absolute terms. The premium for gem examples is dramatic: an MS-66 specimen sold for approximately $7,200 in a 2006 auction, and an MS-67 FS example realized $11,500 at Heritage Auctions in April 2009. Even circulated examples in VF condition regularly trade for $80 to $250.

The 1943-D/D Repunched Mint Mark (catalogued as FS-501) is among the most accessible of the 1943 nickel error varieties, yet still commands meaningful premiums in higher grades. Before 1989, mint marks were punched onto working dies by hand using individual punches — a process prone to misalignment. During Denver's high-volume wartime production, the "D" punch was occasionally applied twice or at a slightly shifted angle, leaving a ghost impression of a second "D" visible beneath or alongside the primary mintmark.

On FS-501 specimens, the secondary "D" impression is visible directly above or slightly offset from the primary "D" above Monticello's dome. Under a 10x loupe, the doubling appears as a distinct shadow or echo of the mintmark letter with well-defined serifs. The degree of separation between the two "D" impressions varies; stronger specimens command higher premiums. Because this is a reverse variety, the obverse of RPM coins may otherwise appear completely normal.

While the RPM does not approach the dramatic values of the overdate or DDO, it represents an excellent entry point into 1943 nickel variety collecting. Circulated examples start at approximately $70, while MS-66 5FS specimens have sold for $200 to $280 in recent years. An MS-67 example with the RPM and Full Steps designation realized $725 at auction in April 2021, showing the market for premium-quality RPM coins remains active among Jefferson nickel specialists.

Off-center strikes occur when the planchet is not perfectly centered between the dies at the moment of striking. During the wartime production rush of 1943, the Mint pressed coins at high speed to meet enormous demand — conditions that increased the likelihood of planchet misfeeds. When the planchet slips even a few millimeters out of position, one portion of the design is struck strongly while the opposite rim shows flat, unstruck planchet metal.

On 1943 war nickels, off-center errors can affect either the obverse or the reverse, and the shifted portion may partially or fully miss any of the design elements, including the date and mint mark. The percentage of offset determines value: a 5% off-center shift creates a subtle but interesting coin, while a 30% to 50% offset — where significant portions of Jefferson's portrait or Monticello are missing — creates a dramatically visual piece. Coins with the date and mint mark still fully readable despite significant off-centering are the most desirable to collectors.

The value of off-center 1943 war nickels scales with the degree of offset and the preservation of key details. A 10% off-center example in circulated condition has sold for approximately $170, while a 50% off-center coin in higher grades can reach several hundred dollars. Off-center strikes on war nickels carry the additional interest of their silver content, giving them a bullion floor that plain copper-nickel off-center coins lack.

Wrong-planchet errors are among the rarest and most spectacular of all 1943 nickel errors. They occurred when a planchet intended for a different denomination or alloy accidentally entered the nickel press. The most notable type involves 1943 war nickel dies striking copper cent planchets — producing coins with the Jefferson design on a distinctly reddish-copper disc approximately 19mm in diameter rather than the standard silver-colored 21.2mm nickel planchet.

On genuine copper-planchet wrong-planchet errors, the coin weighs approximately 2.7 to 3.1 grams instead of the correct 5 grams, and the design is correspondingly smaller and incomplete around the edges because the cent planchet is too narrow to capture the full nickel die impression. The reddish-brown or orange color is immediately apparent and cannot be mistaken for a circulated normal nickel. A variant involves 1943 nickels struck on steel cent planchets — these coins are magnetic, while genuine war nickels are not.

These errors rank among the most valuable modern U.S. coin errors. An MS-64 example struck on a steel cent planchet realized $9,400 at Heritage Auctions in November 2013. Higher-grade examples on copper planchets have realized over $18,000 at auction. The silver content of the standard 1943 nickel planchet is absent in these wrong-planchet specimens, but the extreme rarity of the error more than compensates in collector value.