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1866
| Weight | 1.94 g |
| Diameter | 17.9 mm |
| Mint | Philadelphia |
| Strike | Circulation strike |
| Mintage | 4,801,000 |
| Edge | Plain |
| Alignment | ↑↓ Coin |
| Composition | 75% Copper, 25% Nickel |
| Melt value | — |
| Designer | James B. Longacre |
| Collector's Key ID | CK-916 |
Collection
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No additional varieties recorded for this strike.
External references
Philadelphia delivered roughly 4.8 million three-cent nickels in 1866, a sharp drop from the first-year peak of 11.4 million. The initial demand for the new denomination had been met, and subsequent production scaled down to match ongoing commercial needs. The coin continued to succeed where the silver trime had failed, circulating freely rather than being hoarded.
1866 brought two events that would shape the country's future. Congress proposed the Fourteenth Amendment in June, laying the constitutional groundwork for birthright citizenship and equal protection. In Tennessee, six Confederate veterans founded the Ku Klux Klan. The year also introduced the Shield nickel, the second copper-nickel denomination authorized during Joseph Wharton's lobbying campaign. The three-cent nickel and the Shield nickel now circulated side by side, both in the same 75% copper / 25% nickel alloy, both struck on Wharton's metal.
Reference data only — not an appraisal.
| Grade | Description | Low | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| G-4 | Good (G) | $17 | $19.50 |
| VG-8 | Very Good (VG) | $21 | $24 |
| F-12 | Fine (F) | $25 | $29 |
| VF-20 | Very Fine (VF) | $28 | $32 |
| EF-40 | Extremely Fine (EF) | $40 | $46 |
| AU-50 | About Uncirculated (AU) | $53 | $61 |
| MS-60 | Uncirculated (MS) | $100 | $116 |
| MS-63 | Choice Uncirculated (MS) | — | — |
How much is a 1866 Three-Cent Nickel worth?
How many 1866 Three-Cent Nickels were minted?
What is a 1866 Three-Cent Nickel made of?
What is the melt value of a 1866 Three-Cent Nickel?
Is the 1866 Three-Cent Nickel a key date?
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