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1883
| Weight | 1.94 g |
| Diameter | 17.9 mm |
| Mint | Philadelphia |
| Strike | Circulation strike |
| Mintage | 4,000 |
| Edge | Plain |
| Alignment | ↑↓ Coin |
| Composition | 75% Copper, 25% Nickel |
| Melt value | — |
| Designer | James B. Longacre |
| Collector's Key ID | CK-982 |
Collection
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No additional varieties recorded for this strike.
External references
Just 4,000 three-cent nickels were struck for circulation in 1883, among the lowest figures in the entire series and squarely on the boundary between semi-key and key status. The Brooklyn Bridge opened on May 24 after fourteen years of construction, joining Manhattan and Brooklyn across the East River. Six days later, a rumor that the bridge was collapsing touched off a stampede that killed twelve people on the pedestrian walkway. That same year the Mint introduced the Liberty Head nickel (the "V" nickel), placing a competing small-change denomination alongside the three-cent nickel just as the older coin was being produced in microscopic numbers.
Finding a problem-free 1883 three-cent nickel requires searching. The coin is priced at key-date levels in higher grades, though the overall rarity is less than the 1880 or 1885. Most survivors are in lower circulated grades.
Reference data only — not an appraisal.
| Grade | Description | Low | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| G-4 | Good (G) | $265 | $305 |
| VG-8 | Very Good (VG) | $285 | $330 |
| F-12 | Fine (F) | $345 | $395 |
| VF-20 | Very Fine (VF) | $400 | $460 |
| EF-40 | Extremely Fine (EF) | $470 | $540 |
| AU-50 | About Uncirculated (AU) | $690 | $800 |
| MS-60 | Uncirculated (MS) | $1,220 | $1,410 |
| MS-63 | Choice Uncirculated (MS) | — | — |
How much is a 1883 Three-Cent Nickel worth?
How many 1883 Three-Cent Nickels were minted?
What is a 1883 Three-Cent Nickel made of?
What is the melt value of a 1883 Three-Cent Nickel?
Is the 1883 Three-Cent Nickel a key date?
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