Product Description
1865-1889 Three-Cent Nickel. Obsolete for well over a century, this historic coin was introduced after the Civil War, when super-hard nickel was no longer needed for armaments. Only 32 million ever existed. Most got a lot of use in commerce and the great majority were destroyed after recall. The compact piece, with one of the prettiest Liberty engravings on U.S. coinage, was originally referred to as "postage stamp money," as it was convenient for buying three-cent stamps. Good quality. Our choice of date.
1867-1883 Shield Nickel No Ray Type. Minted after the Civil War to replace fractional currency, this was America's first nickel five-cent piece. The Mint's chief engraver, James B. Longacre, created the obverse design based on his previous two-cent piece: shown is the familiar U.S. shield surrounded by laurel branches. The reverse of early issues included rays between the stars but these were subsequently removed due to minting difficulties. We are offering the second "No-Rays" type in well-traveled Good quality. Our choice of date.