The proton–proton and phosphorus–proton nuclear Overhauser effect (nOe) of guanosine 5′-monophosphate (5′-GMP) was measured in aqueous solution at different pH values and in the presence of excess LaIII at acid pH. These data and nOe data from the literature for other mononucleotides were used together with vicinal proton–proton coupling constants to investigate the conformations of mononucleotides in aqueous solution, especially their rotational state about the glycosidic bond. Comparison of observed and calculated enhancements using various conformational models for the glycosidic bond gave predominantly anti conformations for 5′-AMP and 5′-GMP and a mixture of syn and anti conformations for 2′-AMP, 2′-GMP, 3′-AMP, and 3′-GMP. Protonation of 5′-GMP at N-7 of the guanine base alters the amplitude of its torsion angle within the anti range. The agreement between the glycosidic nucleotide conformations defined by nOe and by the lanthanide probe method is good but not perfect. As complexation of 5′-GMP with LaIII through the phosphate group has only a small effect on the conformation of its exocyclic group, a comparison of the two methods is justified.