1906

The San Francisco earthquake struck at 5:12 a.m. on April 18, 1906, measuring an estimated 7.9 on the moment magnitude scale. The earthquake and the fires that followed destroyed roughly 80% of the city and killed an estimated 3,000 people. The San Francisco Mint building survived the earthquake itself through its granite construction and its own on-site water supply, and Mint employees saved the facility's $300 million in coin and bullion by fighting fires around the building for three days. San Francisco would not strike Liberty Head nickels until 1912, making the earthquake's impact on Philadelphia's 38,612,000-coin output largely indirect, but the damaged West Coast economy suppressed aggregate commercial activity for months as reconstruction consumed labor and capital.

The coin is common at every grade level and readily available in Mint State. It is among the most affordable Liberty Head dates for type collectors and serves as a reliable entry in date sets. Gem-quality 1906 nickels exist in sufficient quantity to meet specialist demand without significant price pressure.

For collectors building complete Liberty Head date sets, the 1906 is one of several interchangeable common dates from the mid-1900s. The substantial mintage and strong typical strike characteristics make it a reliable choice for any grade level acquisition.