Though plentiful in Mint State, 1941 S nickels were so poorly made that finding a truly satisfying example will be very difficult. Most have dull luster and soft or blurry details. The dies were run far too long, and when erosion lines formed these were simply polished away, taking the shallow design features with them. Gems of any die state are scarce, and those having either 5FS or 6FS are quite rare.
The Philadelphia Mint created a new S mintmark punch that was phased in during 1941 for all denomination other than the half dollar, which first appeared with the new, Large S punch in 1942. 1941 S nickels having the Large S are scarce in Mint State and will bring a good premium. The Small S variety having its mintmark inverted may be hard to discern on worn coins.
Mintage:
| Philadelphia | Denver | San Francisco |
| 203,283,720 | 53,432,000 | 43,445,000 |