1866-1883 Shield Nickel Coin Guide
Shield Nickels with Rays (Buy on eBay) were made only in 1866 and 1867. Problems had developed in striking the coins with proper detail due to the hard nickel composition. It was believed that the rays which appeared between the thirteen stars on the reverse of the coin contributed to the problem by taking metal […]
The Shield Nickel was the first five cent coin struck using nickel as part of the composition. Specifically, the composition was 75% copper and 25% nickel, the same alloy used for the denomination through the present day. Each coin has a weight of 5 grams (77.19 grains) and diameter of 20.5 mm, with a plain […]
The Shield Nickel was authorized on May 16, 1866 and struck for circulation beginning in the same year. Until the conclusion of the series in 1883, all coins were struck at the Philadelphia Mint. This included coins struck for circulation as well as Proof coins struck for collectors. After relatively high mintages for the first […]