1949-D

Denver's 1949 Jefferson nickel mintage was 36,498,000 coins, a substantial production that places the 1949-D in the common-date category. The coin is common in all grades and readily available in Mint State. Strike characteristics are generally strong, and Full Steps examples exist in adequate numbers for specialist demand at modest premiums.

Collectors building complete Jefferson nickel sets acquire the 1949-D without difficulty. The coin is typical of late-1940s Denver production and is a straightforward acquisition beyond the preference for well-struck Full Steps examples that specialists value for high-grade sets. The 1949-D is the year preceding the famous 1950-D key date, making it the last common-date Denver Jefferson nickel before the series' main low-mintage challenge.

The coin is also notable for the existence of the 1949-D D/S Repunched Mintmark variety (cataloged separately), which shows a D over an S mintmark. Collectors examining 1949-D nickels routinely check for the variety, though the probability of encountering a genuine example without specific targeting is low. The standard 1949-D without the variety is the normal acquisition for date set builders.