Three-Cent Nickels

James B. Longacre designed the three-cent nickel, his last major contribution to the American coinage series before his death in 1869. The obverse featured a Liberty head facing left, similar in concept to the portrait on the Indian Head cent but with a distinctly different treatment. The head wore a coronet rather than a feathered headdress, and the overall look was more classical and less distinctly American. The reverse carried the Roman numeral III inside a wreath, a straightforward design that made the denomination immediately clear. The coin measured 17.9 millimeters in diameter, noticeably larger than the tiny silver trime it was meant to supplement, and it weighed 1.94 grams. It felt like a real coin in your hand, which the trime never quite managed.

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1865–1889 Years struck

49 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 #
1865	—	11,382,000	$17	$21	$25	$28	$40	$53	$100	REGULAR	CK-911
1866	—	4,801,000	$17	$21	$25	$28	$40	$53	$100	REGULAR	CK-916
1867	—	3,915,000	$17	$21	$25	$28	$40	$53	$100	REGULAR	CK-924
1868	—	3,252,000	$17	$21	$25	$28	$40	$53	$100	REGULAR	CK-931
1869	—	1,604,000	$17	$21	$25	$28	$40	$53	$100	REGULAR	CK-938
1870	—	1,335,000	$17	$21	$25	$28	$40	$53	$121	REGULAR	CK-943
1871	—	604,000	$17	$21	$25	$28	$40	$53	$135	REGULAR	CK-949
1872	—	862,000	$17	$21	$25	$28	$40	$53	$135	REGULAR	CK-957
1873	Closed 3	1,173,000	$17	$21	$25	$28	$40	$53	$135	REGULAR	CK-961
1873	Open 3	1,173,000	$17	$21	$25	$28	$40	$57	$141	REGULAR	CK-964
1874	—	790,000	$17	$21	$25	$28	$40	$53	$141	REGULAR	CK-966
1875	—	228,000	$17	$21	$25	$33	$45	$65	$162	REGULAR	CK-968
1876	—	162,000	$17	$21	$28	$36	$60	$100	$162	SEMI-KEY	CK-970
1879	—	38,000	$48	$67	$80	$94	$100	$141	$245	SEMI-KEY	CK-975
1880	—	21,000	$80	$96	$114	$135	$162	$172	$285	KEY	CK-976
1881	—	1,080,575	$17	$20	$25	$28	$40	$53	$121	REGULAR	CK-979
1882	—	22,200	$106	$126	$155	$183	$205	$245	$360	REGULAR	CK-980
1883	—	4,000	$265	$285	$345	$400	$470	$690	$1,220	SEMI-KEY	CK-982
1884	—	1,700	$625	$810	$990	$1,220	$1,625	$3,035	$3,720	KEY	CK-984
1885	—	1,000	$710	$905	$1,135	$1,370	$2,005	$2,360	$3,655	KEY	CK-986
1887	—	5,001	$225	$265	$295	$360	$415	$490	$605	KEY	CK-989
1888	—	36,501	$46	$53	$57	$60	$73	$121	$245	SEMI-KEY	CK-992
1889	—	18,125	$80	$96	$114	$135	$188	$215	$285	REGULAR	CK-994

1865 1866 1867 1868 1869 1870 1871 1872 1873 Closed 3 1873 Open 3 1874 1875 1876 1879 1880 1881 1882 1883 1884 1885 1887 1888 1889

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 #
1865	—	500	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-913
1866	—	725	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-917
1867	—	625	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-927
1868	—	600	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-930
1869	—	600	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-936
1870	—	1,000	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-946
1871	—	960	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-952
1872	—	950	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-954
1873	Closed 3	1,173,000	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-963
1874	—	700	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-967
1875	—	700	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-969
1876	—	1,150	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-971
1877	—	900	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-972
1878	—	2,350	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-973
1879	—	3,200	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-974
1880	—	3,955	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-977
1881	—	3,575	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-978
1882	—	3,100	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-981
1883	—	6,609	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-983
1884	—	3,942	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-985
1885	—	3,790	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-987
1886	—	4,290	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-988
1887	7/6 Strong Overdate	5,001	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-991
1887	7 Over 6	5,001	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-990
1888	—	4,582	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-993
1889	—	3,436	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	KEY	CK-995