Coin Values Moving with Precious Metals: Up-Dated 3/31/2025: Gold $3107 | Silver $34.27
1900 Nickel Value
Accurate 1900 nickel value requires special attention to its state of preservation. Considered an abundant coin by the market, however, it is not often found in higher quality. Judging its "grade" of condition, a hobby term, narrows its place on the chart and defines how much it is worth.
Proceeding through the steps outlined below begins to recognize the true value potential of this older Liberty series nickel. Compare the images and reference descriptions to accurately define your coin.
Steps Leading to Value:
- Step 1: Date Identified - Because these nickels are collected and valued by date. Identify both the series and date accurately.
- Step 2: Grading Condition - The main value potential is found in the condition of the coin. Recognition of the presence or absence of wear starts the grading judgment.
- Step 3: Special Qualities - A variable in production quality separates different levels of appeal to collectors.
| 1900 Nickel Value | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Condition of Coin | ||||
| Date | Good | Fine | Extremely Fine |
Mint State |
| Liberty Nickel Value Updated | 2025 | |||
| 1900 | $2.02 | $5.20 | $24 | $67 |
A narrow range of Wholesale values is listed on the chart. Take a conservative approach using the values as a guide. Dealer's demands and overall eye appeal contribute to a final worth.
Step 1: Recording the Date Starts the Value Process
Make confirmation of an accurate date a priority. Collectors seek and value these nickels by defining their date first. The Philadelphia Mint, the only facility to produce nickels in 1900, placed into circulation over 27 million. These have become a popular entry coin for new collectors to the Liberty design series. Their abundance in moderately worn condition and attractive pricing provides a strong base for demand and value. The key step, Grading, is important to follow next.
Step 2: | Define Condition into a Grade Used to Describe the Coin
A Large Break Point to Condition is Recognizing a Subtle Feature
There is a need to inspect closely key areas on these nickels to separate premium collectible quality. The condition of the coin is compared to images and the reference descriptions to spot features defining each grade. Grades are terms used in the hobby as part of an accurate description. All coins trade based on dates, grades, and any important special features.
A Liberty nickel features a complex design. Different elements are at various heights above the field. Each shows wear amounts in distinct patterns. Recognizing the stage of wear is judging the amount of remaining elements. Match your coin to images of the different grade examples and descriptions of points of focus.
Mint State Grade
Mint State: When considering a nickel for the Mint State condition, begin with an overall view to the coin under a single light. This top-quality grade is defined as no wear to the surface. Detecting the absence of wear first requires confirming the original texture of luster remains.
High relief areas and open areas, Liberty's headband, and cheek, are main focal points to examine. The presence of luster must show as a brilliance to these surfaces. Her headband along its top edge is not smooth from wear, and a nice texture of luster is complete over her cheek. Wear, if present, shows as a smooth surface, reducing the height of the top edges of designs. Look specifically for a fine texture on the metal. There is no smoothness when compared to lower, protected areas.
Helping recognize the absence of wear is no smoothness to the small details of the stars. Focus on the fully formed stars, as weakness in impressing the design is a common occurrence on some Liberty nickels. Note the weakly stuck stars behind her head show less detail than those in front. Fully contoured and lustrous is a mint state condition.
Extremely Fine Grade
Extremely Fine: Wear is just now becoming noticeable on a lightly circulated, Extremely Fine condition nickel. This grade is defined as wear confined to high points of the design. Disconnected areas of wear is also another distinction of the grade. Strong design features remain visible between small worn spots.
Liberty's hair above her forehead displays this light wear as some fading of strands directly above the eye. Next, localized fading is above the ear, and also, details are missing in the hair tied at the back of her head. Each worn point represents the highest contours of the design. Lower relief areas retain mostly full lines in the waves of hair. Worn areas are distinctly disconnected.
Light wear is also confirmed by the presence of complete letters of "LIBERTY" displayed within her headband. Notice the highest contour is centered at the location of the "I" and the letter is just beginning to show a slight weakness. All other letters remain deeply impressed. An Extremely Fine grade Liberty nickel represents a nice collector quality coin. This grade level displays bold detail as the overall appearance.
Fine Grade
Fine Grade: The coin market recognizes a distinct feature of nickels in the Fine grade. Noticeable wear offset by visible small details. These moderately worn nickels are beginning to lose their distinction within major details. Additionally, minor and small details are beginning to visibly flatten and fade.
An important feature of the overall appearance of these nickels is their heavily worn appearance, as displayed on the example image. Liberty's hair, a major detail, is now a flattened area with no separation line on her forehead. Wear has reduced the height of the metal to a smooth, continuous, flat area from her forehead to the ear. Further, at the back of her head, the tie of hair is also a flat area of three segments with no inner details.
An appealing trait of the grade does remain. Fine lines within the hair waves between the ear and the back of her head are nicely defined. Secondly, all letters of LIBERTY in the headband are visible. Strength of the letters does fade towards the "I" located at a high point on the metal. All letters legible is a requirement to qualify at the Fine grade level.
Good Grade
Good Grade: A Liberty nickel in the Good grade represents a heavily worn coin. A requirement to stay within this condition category is four major features remain complete. These coins are appealing and not "worn-out" in appearance.
First is Liberty's portrait. Her portrait is nicely outlined, completely separate, and raised above the field on the coin. A plus is the boldness of the outline is balanced front to back of Liberty. Often the impression is weaker towards the back. Secondly, a full date is displayed, with no fading of the digits, or merging with the field.
The next two requirements are the relationship of the stars to the rim. All thirteen stars are visible, and the inner edge of the rim is complete. Notice on the example nickel, a full separation between the star points and rim, a strong requirement.
Weakness of the design impression in select areas is a tendency of these nickels. A Liberty nickel displaying a complete rim, stars, date, and full and bold outline of Liberty is a high-quality coin for its grade.
How to Video: Grading Liberty Nickels
With the addition of video giving further insight into grading, improve accuracy in recognizing each separate grade. Both the obverse and reverse of these nickels are inspected. Key differences for each grade are highlighted.
Grading Liberty Nickels | How to Video and Descriptions
Step 3: | Special Qualities | Advantage of a Second View of Grading
How to Visualize Subtle Features of Grades
1900 starts the new century and continuation of the Liberty nickel series. These ending years of the design are noted for both increased numbers produced and remaining abundant today. The significant market situation is that most are in a very worn state of preservation.
An added effort in judging condition has the potential for a nice realization in added worth. Familiarity with this obsolete design, its fullness and complexity, and comparing various grades improves your "view" of the coin.
When these coins begin to show smaller details remaining, consult the video. This provides a more in-depth examination of the different grades. After the initial consideration by viewing the grading images above, adding the features within the video rounds out the assessment. Recognizing the Mint State condition, or the Extremely Fine grade, finds a well above average example of a Liberty nickel.
Comparing Small Details to Judge Fine to Extremely Fine Grades
Continue with expanded and additional descriptions accompanying the video. These insights help to gain experience into the subtle features. Each is important in determining the needed requirements to meet or exceed each grade classification.
By using videos and detailed descriptions to assess your coin, you can get a clearer understanding of its grade.
One important point: A conservative approach when grading is encouraged. Subtle elements indicating a grade, must show clearly on the coin without any "imagination" to see the feature. Over grading a coin often results in disappointment.
Grading Liberty Nickels | How to Video and Additional Descriptions
References
U.S. Mint. 1891 U.S. Mint Annual Report
https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/book/512060
U.S. Mint. Catalogue of Coins of the United States.
https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/book/554591
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