1964

Philadelphia's 1964 Jefferson nickel mintage was 1,024,672,000 coins, the first time Jefferson nickel production crossed the billion mark at a single mint in a single year. The massive output reflected unprecedented commercial demand and the Treasury's response to a coin shortage that had affected circulation during the early 1960s. The coin is abundant in all grades and readily available in Mint State.

The 1964 date was struck through 1965 and into 1966 at both Philadelphia and Denver, as the Mint froze the date to prevent hoarding of newly dated coins during the shortage. This produced the unusual situation where 1964 Jefferson nickels include coins struck in three calendar years, though all carry the 1964 date. The practice ended in 1965 with the introduction of the Special Mint Set program and the clad coinage transition.

1964 was a pivotal year in American history: the Civil Rights Act passed in July, the Gulf of Tonkin incident escalated American involvement in Vietnam in August, and Lyndon Johnson won election to a full presidential term in November. The Jefferson nickels struck that year circulated through a country experiencing the beginning of the Great Society programs and the escalation of what would become the Vietnam War.