Early 5-cent pieces weren’t even made out of nickel — they were made from either gold, silver or copper, per to the U.S. Mint.
The modern American nickel wasn’t created until 1866. If you’re lucky enough to come across an early or rare version, you could end up thousands (or even millions) of dollars richer
These first nickels were known as “Shield nickels” and were produced from 1866 to 1883, according to the American Bullion website.
Those were followed by the Liberty Head nickel (1883-1913), Buffalo or Indian Head nickel (1913-1938) and Jefferson nickel (1938-present).
In terms of rarity and value, you’re most likely to find the most valuable nickels in older, pre-World War I mintages.
But as American Bullion noted, you can also find some pricey versions minted during World War II (1942-45)
Beyond that, some error nickels might fetch a high price, including “overdate” nickels where the year is stamped over an older year.