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1888
| Weight | 1.94 g |
| Diameter | 17.9 mm |
| Mint | Philadelphia |
| Strike | Circulation strike |
| Mintage | 36,501 |
| Edge | Plain |
| Alignment | ↑↓ Coin |
| Composition | 75% Copper, 25% Nickel |
| Melt value | — |
| Designer | James B. Longacre |
| Collector's Key ID | CK-992 |
Collection
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No additional varieties recorded for this strike.
External references
Philadelphia delivered 36,500 three-cent nickels in 1888, the last "big" mintage the denomination would ever see. The figure was higher than the mid-1880s keys but still modest. A small uptick in production near the end of the series suggests the Mint anticipated a brief recovery in demand that never fully arrived. One more year of circulation production remained.
The 1888 is classified as semi-key, harder to find than the common mid-1870s dates but less rare than the true keys of 1880, 1884, and 1885. Surviving examples are available in circulated grades with some searching, and Fine and above are achievable for a collector willing to pay semi-key premiums.
Reference data only — not an appraisal.
| Grade | Description | Low | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| G-4 | Good (G) | $46 | $53 |
| VG-8 | Very Good (VG) | $53 | $61 |
| F-12 | Fine (F) | $57 | $65 |
| VF-20 | Very Fine (VF) | $60 | $69 |
| EF-40 | Extremely Fine (EF) | $73 | $84 |
| AU-50 | About Uncirculated (AU) | $121 | $140 |
| MS-60 | Uncirculated (MS) | $245 | $280 |
| MS-63 | Choice Uncirculated (MS) | — | — |
How much is a 1888 Three-Cent Nickel worth?
How many 1888 Three-Cent Nickels were minted?
What is a 1888 Three-Cent Nickel made of?
What is the melt value of a 1888 Three-Cent Nickel?
Is the 1888 Three-Cent Nickel a key date?
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