Shield Nickels

James B. Longacre designed the Shield nickel, the first five-cent coin struck in a base-metal alloy and the coin that effectively replaced the silver half dime in American commerce. Longacre had been Chief Engraver since 1844 and by 1866 had already designed the Indian Head cent, the two-cent piece, the three-cent nickel, and the gold dollar, a productive stretch by any standard. The obverse of the Shield nickel featured the same federal shield motif he had used on the two-cent piece, with a large numeral 5 on the reverse surrounded by stars and rays. The design was bold and easily legible, though not everyone found it attractive. Contemporary critics called it clunky, and the large shield with its crisscrossing horizontal and vertical lines gave the coin a busy, cluttered appearance that stood in contrast to the more classical Liberty portraits used on the silver coinage. Longacre was not designing for beauty. He was designing for a coin that needed to be immediately distinguishable from the dime, which was similar in size, and the Shield motif accomplished that even if it would never win an aesthetic competition.

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1866–1883 Years struck

40 Date / variety entries

Philadelphia only Mints

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Key date Semi-key Variety Proof Regular

Date	Variety	Mintage	Price Guide Estimates							Classification	CK #
Date	Variety	Mintage	G	VG	F	VF	EF	AU	MS	Classification	CK #
1866	Rays	14,742,500	$28	$36	$48	$80	$135	$183	$285	REGULAR	CK-1151
1867	No Rays	28,890,500	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	REGULAR	CK-1152
1867	Rays	28,890,500	$33	$40	$59	$96	$162	$230	$325	SEMI-KEY	CK-1155
1868	—	28,817,000	$25	$28	$33	$36	$59	$86	$116	REGULAR	CK-1157
1869	—	16,395,000	$25	$28	$33	$36	$59	$86	$116	REGULAR	CK-1159
1870	—	4,806,000	$25	$33	$48	$65	$80	$114	$183	REGULAR	CK-1162
1871	—	561,000	$65	$80	$121	$167	$230	$305	$415	SEMI-KEY	CK-1163
1872	—	6,036,000	$33	$40	$76	$94	$105	$141	$188	REGULAR	CK-1165
1873	—	4,550,000	$25	$36	$65	$100	$135	$162	$285	REGULAR	CK-1168
1873	Open 3	4,550,000	$28	$36	$48	$65	$94	$116	$183	REGULAR	CK-1169
1874	—	3,538,000	$28	$33	$60	$76	$96	$135	$205	REGULAR	CK-1171
1875	—	2,097,000	$40	$53	$80	$105	$126	$172	$225	REGULAR	CK-1173
1876	—	2,530,000	$36	$45	$67	$105	$116	$162	$210	REGULAR	CK-1174
1879	—	25,900	$345	$400	$470	$520	$690	$905	$1,465	KEY	CK-1179
1880	—	16,000	$1,465	$1,775	$2,110	$2,360	$4,765	$6,015	$10,175	KEY	CK-1182
1881	—	68,800	$205	$285	$345	$415	$470	$625	$905	KEY	CK-1184
1882	—	11,476,600	$25	$28	$33	$36	$60	$86	$121	REGULAR	CK-1185
1883	3 Over 2 Shield	—	$205	$265	$515	$735	$990	$1,220	$1,710	VARIETY	CK-1187
1883	Shield	1,456,919	$25	$28	$33	$36	$60	$86	$121	REGULAR	CK-1190

1866 Rays 1867 No Rays 1867 Rays 1868 1869 1870 1871 1872 1873 1873 Open 3 1874 1875 1876 1879 1880 1881 1882 1883 3 Over 2 Shield 1883 Shield

Date	Variety	Mintage	Price Guide Estimates							Classification	CK #
Date	Variety	Mintage	G (PR)	VG (PR)	F (PR)	VF (PR)	EF (PR)	AU (PR)	MS (PR)	Classification	CK #
1866	Rays	125	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-1150
1867	No Rays	600	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-1153
1867	No Rays, Pattern Reverse	600	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-1154
1867	Rays	600	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-1156
1868	—	600	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-1158
1869	—	600	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-1160
1870	—	1,000	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-1161
1871	—	960	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-1164
1872	—	950	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-1166
1873	—	1,100	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-1167
1874	—	700	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-1170
1875	—	700	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-1172
1876	—	1,150	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-1175
1877	—	900	—	—	—	—	—	—	$3,090	KEY	CK-1176
1878	—	2,350	—	—	—	—	—	—	$1,230	KEY	CK-1177
1879	—	3,200	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-1178
1879	9 Over 8	3,200	—	—	—	—	—	—	$520	KEY	CK-1180
1880	—	3,955	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-1181
1881	—	3,575	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-1183
1882	—	3,100	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-1186
1883	Shield	1,456,919	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-1191