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1879
| Weight | 1.94 g |
| Diameter | 17.9 mm |
| Mint | Philadelphia |
| Strike | Circulation strike |
| Mintage | 38,000 |
| Edge | Plain |
| Alignment | ↑↓ Coin |
| Composition | 75% Copper, 25% Nickel |
| Melt value | — |
| Designer | James B. Longacre |
| Collector's Key ID | CK-975 |
Collection
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No additional varieties recorded for this strike.
External references
Circulation strikes resumed in 1879 after a two-year suspension, with Philadelphia delivering just 38,000 pieces (Mint reports later revised the figure to approximately 41,200). No three-cent nickels had been struck for circulation in 1877 or 1878. When production returned in 1879, it did so at a token level that left the denomination as essentially a proof-only issue with occasional small circulation runs. On October 21 of that year, Thomas Edison's Menlo Park laboratory ran its first successful incandescent lamp test, with a carbonized cotton thread burning for more than thirteen hours. Electric light was about to begin replacing the gas lamps under which Americans had been spending their three-cent coins.
At barely 41,000 coins, the 1879 is a semi-key of genuine scarcity. Surviving examples are thinly distributed, and finding one in Fine or better requires active searching. Uncirculated examples command strong premiums and appear at auction infrequently.
Reference data only — not an appraisal.
| Grade | Description | Low | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| G-4 | Good (G) | $48 | $55 |
| VG-8 | Very Good (VG) | $67 | $77 |
| F-12 | Fine (F) | $80 | $92 |
| VF-20 | Very Fine (VF) | $94 | $108 |
| EF-40 | Extremely Fine (EF) | $100 | $116 |
| AU-50 | About Uncirculated (AU) | $141 | $163 |
| MS-60 | Uncirculated (MS) | $245 | $280 |
| MS-63 | Choice Uncirculated (MS) | — | — |
How much is a 1879 Three-Cent Nickel worth?
How many 1879 Three-Cent Nickels were minted?
What is a 1879 Three-Cent Nickel made of?
What is the melt value of a 1879 Three-Cent Nickel?
Is the 1879 Three-Cent Nickel a key date?
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