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1871
| Weight | 1.94 g |
| Diameter | 17.9 mm |
| Mint | Philadelphia |
| Strike | Circulation strike |
| Mintage | 604,000 |
| Edge | Plain |
| Alignment | ↑↓ Coin |
| Composition | 75% Copper, 25% Nickel |
| Melt value | — |
| Designer | James B. Longacre |
| Collector's Key ID | CK-949 |
Collection
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No additional varieties recorded for this strike.
External references
604,000 coins: the 1871 mintage was a noticeable step down from the previous year. The October fire that burned through Chicago destroyed some 17,000 buildings, killed roughly 300 people, and left nearly a third of the city homeless. Relief funds poured in from across the country and from Europe. Small-change transactions in the thousand temporary shelters that sprang up around the ruined city would have included three-cent nickels from earlier mintages as well as the fresh 1871 coins just entering circulation. The lower mintage gives the date slight additional interest compared to the higher-production years, though it is not classified as a semi-key.
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) | $135 | $155 |
| MS-63 | Choice Uncirculated (MS) | — | — |
How much is a 1871 Three-Cent Nickel worth?
How many 1871 Three-Cent Nickels were minted?
What is a 1871 Three-Cent Nickel made of?
What is the melt value of a 1871 Three-Cent Nickel?
Is the 1871 Three-Cent Nickel a key date?
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