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1869
| Weight | 1.94 g |
| Diameter | 17.9 mm |
| Mint | Philadelphia |
| Strike | Circulation strike |
| Mintage | 1,604,000 |
| Edge | Plain |
| Alignment | ↑↓ Coin |
| Composition | 75% Copper, 25% Nickel |
| Melt value | — |
| Designer | James B. Longacre |
| Collector's Key ID | CK-938 |
Collection
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No additional varieties recorded for this strike.
External references
Philadelphia struck 1.6 million three-cent nickels in 1869, a noticeable decline as the country's coin supply stabilized and older silver coinage drifted back from wartime hoards. In May, crews from the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads drove the golden spike at Promontory Summit, Utah, completing the first transcontinental railroad. That September came Black Friday, when financiers Jay Gould and James Fisk tried to corner the gold market and triggered a panic that wiped out small investors across the country. Three-cent nickels circulated through it all.
The 1869 is available in circulated grades. Higher grades become progressively scarcer, and fully struck Uncirculated pieces bring modest premiums over typical examples.
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 1869 Three-Cent Nickel worth?
How many 1869 Three-Cent Nickels were minted?
What is a 1869 Three-Cent Nickel made of?
What is the melt value of a 1869 Three-Cent Nickel?
Is the 1869 Three-Cent Nickel a key date?
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