Coin Values Moving with Precious Metals: Up-Dated 5/12/2025: Gold $3274 | Silver $32.90
1905 Nickel Value
In order to determine the 1905 nickel value, a collector closely examines a coin's condition. Liberty nickels from this era are somewhat scarce, and considered an important date.
In today's market, judging a coin's condition is an important consideration. Use the images of nickels within different grades to compare the condition of your coin. Coin hobbyists use these grades when describing coins.
Follow the steps and learn the significant qualities of Liberty nickels and how much they are worth.
Steps Leading to Value:
- Step 1: Date Identified - Each Liberty nickel date has its own value profile. For completeness, record a careful note of its date.
- Step 2: Grading Condition - Judging their condition is part of their description. Condition classifications are assigned as a "Grade" on value charts.
- Step 3: Special Qualities - A close-up inspection of specific design elements often finds possible high-quality features.
| 1905 Nickel Value | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Condition of Coin | ||||
| Date | Good | Fine | Extremely Fine |
Mint State |
| Liberty Nickel Value Updated | 2025 | |||
| 1905 | $1.80 | $4.62 | $24 | $69 |
Listed are wholesale values. These are an average of retail prices used to form a wholesale range. Within each listing above, use it as a guide.
Step 1: The Date is Part of a Complete Description
A 1905 Liberty nickel is a date known for its historical era and an excellent representative of the series. Collectors of all experiences seek these as part of completing a collection of Liberty nickels. High quality pieces are often singled out and placed in a type collection featuring nickels. A brilliant coin, with full luster, in Mint State condition is an impressive example of this older series of coinage.
Of particular interest to those in the coin field is the accuracy of descriptions. A date on a coin is the first consideration in deciding its appeal and value. All dates are double-checked to identify.
Step 2: | Grading Defines Different Stages of Wear and Condition
Grading Separates Quality and Added Premiums
Note: 1905 nickel value begins a strong rise as a coin reaches the Fine Grade of condition. Grading a coin follows a standard progression of judging the amount of visible detail. Lightly worn coins show fewer areas flattened by wear. As an example, a Fine grade coin requires readable letters of "Liberty" within the headband. Other specific details also contribute helping confirm the different grades.
Using the images of graded examples and finding a close match "grades" the coin into a narrow range. Descriptions defining the grade, further point to necessary details within a grade. Combined this helps judge condition and identify an accurate grade. Grading terms, such as Fine Grade now describe a coin within the market. An important part to establish values. The chart above highlights the significance of a close inspection of each Liberty nickel.
Mint State Grade
Mint State: Mint State condition separates coins that have no signs of wear from those that have signs of wear. No surface wear characterizes and defines a nickel in Mint State grade. Judge this high-quality grade by closely examining a few features prone to wear.
Inspecting the lines within waves of hair above Liberty's forehead gives a good indication of any circulation wear. If the metal still has its original shine, texture, and color, this is a strong indicator of no wear. The shine of the coin, its "luster" is lost first due to wear. The fine texture of the metal is what produces the brilliance of a Mint State grade nickel. Evidence of wear changes the metal, leaving it without luster. The metal becomes smooth with a less vibrant appearance.
Next, examine Liberty's cheek and the hair knot on the back of her head to ensure there is no evidence of wear. Her cheek, being both a prime focal point and an open area, shows signs of wear very quickly. Notice on the example nickel a matching texture and shine when comparing lower contour areas to the high contour cheek.
Examine other fine, uppermost edges of design features. View the nickel from both high and low angles. Lighting is important; use a single light and tilt the coin helping add contrast to the surface. This deepens shadows and increases highlights. A consistent texture covering the entire surface confirms a Liberty nickel without wear.
Extremely Fine Grade
Extremely Fine: A 1905 nickel with minute, intricate details visible is a coin in elusive condition. Extremely Fine is the grade determined when only minor design smoothing and wear are visible in select high areas. For the purpose of determining collector quality, two factors are inspected closely.
Hair above Liberty's eye is the first element for close examination. This area from the eye to ear has a small area of smoothness. Behind her ear more hair detail shows. Smaller spots of blended hair indicate light wear. Liberty's hairline does have a slight separation from her forehead. Additionally, small flattened areas display in the middle of the hair tie at the back of her head. A loss of hair detail balanced with visible hair strands show the typical wear pattern at this grade level.
A small amount of smoothing occurs on Liberty's cheek and neck, resulting in the loss of their radiance and luster. Notice, the start of a flattened area, which continues at the front of the bust line, immediately above the date.
The presence of crisp details increases the collectible worth of these old nickels. This coin is awarded a nice premium for its quality.
Fine Grade
Fine Grade: When a Liberty nickel becomes moderately worn, the presence of wear is now noticeable. Key elements of the design have clearly faded. As example, a visual indicator is the loss of detail in Liberty's hair above her forehead. The hair on the entire forehead has worn almost completely smooth. Only a few pronounced recesses remain visible.
Also, the hair at the back of her head has a smooth appearance to the waves. There are large areas of missing detail over and around her ear. Lastly, a majority of the hair lacks detail and is completely smooth in the area directly above the eye. In terms of wear patterns, the typical progression shows smoothness above the forehead, detail around the ear, and smoothness covering the hair knot.
Above the headband, many details in the cotton leaves and wheat grains, indicate the Fine grade quality. The completely readable lettering of "LIBERTY" within the headband is a significant, grade-determining feature. All letters are visible, and the line above, forming the band, is strong and deeply impressed. The letter "I" within the band is at the high point of the design, often weaker than the rest of the lettering. A strong Fine grade coin features a strong "I" letter.
Good Grade
Good Grade: Due to heavy wear, the Liberty nickel's key design elements on this example are now just outlines. There are few details remaining within the portrait of Liberty, the main feature of the coin. When following the outline of Liberty, all outer edges are distinct, well defined. Her portrait remains separate from the lower field of the coin. Full outlines define the condition and identify the grade. Once her portrait begins to merge with the background, the coin loses most of its appeal to collectors.
All thirteen stars show strong outlines on a nickel that meets the grade quality. Also, the inner edge of the rim is visible and raised. These features complement the nice appearance of a fully outlined Liberty. Many collectors seek Liberty nickels in this condition. Especially when combined with a clear date as shown in the example.
How to Video: Grading Liberty Nickels
Features of the obverse and reverse, when combined, determine a narrow grade range. Judge the condition of Liberty nickels following the video and in-depth descriptions. Valuable insights to subtle qualities improves grading accuracy.
Grading Liberty Nickels | How to Video and Descriptions
Step 3: | Special Qualities | Grading Basics Increase Accuracy
How to Prepare and Then Grade Liberty Nickels
Preforming an examination for quality, along with grading the condition of a coin, requires a few standard techniques and a helpful setting. A single light source is an important tool when viewing coins. Room lighting during the daytime has the effect of "washing out" subtle details. A single light provides shadows and contrast to the surface. These illuminate the highs and lows of remaining details. A light with a brightness of 60 to 100 watts is perfect to view coins. Adjust your viewing distance to remove a strong "glare" depending on wattage.
Proper Lighting Aids in Viewing Details of Liberty Nickels
In a kitchen table setting, turn off any overhead lights and bring in a table or desk lamp. With the lamp in front, the light reflects off the coin at a high, overhead angle. Holding at this angle, tilt the coin slowly to cast light onto and out of high and low recesses. This helps increase the ability to see the flattened areas due to wear and the extent of the flatness. Shadows cast into remaining recesses begins to define these areas of wear. Using this viewing technique, subtle details often become visible. You begin to see the distinct difference in height of the various design features and develop a true view of the surface.
Also note the lack of "color" on the imaged coin to the left. It appears monotone, all one shade of color without any pleasing aesthetics. Diffused light, fluorescent lights, and daylight, have the tendency to mute subtle toning colors. Nickel when originally toned, displays nice tans, various grays, and light and deeper colors.
Special qualities of these old Liberty nickels are the high levels of remaining details. Setting them apart are intact surfaces free of distracting marks, and originality. Coins with these properties are the exception. The ability to detect quality features is related to how well the subject coin is lit. Giving yourself the advantage with good lighting provides greater accuracy in the evaluation process.
References
U.S. Mint. 1906 U.S. Mint Annual Report
https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/book/514122
U.S. Mint. Catalogue of Coins of the United States.
https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/book/554591
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