Description: Coin collector's guide to the Shield Nickel issued from 1866 to 1883. Includes series history and highlights with images, mintages, and specifications.
1866-1883 Shield Nickel Coin Guide
1866-1875 1866 Shield Nickel 1866-1867 Shield Nickel with Rays 1867 Shield Nickel 1868 Shield Nickel 1869 Shield Nickel 1870 Shield Nickel 1871 Shield Nickel 1872 Shield Nickel 1873 Shield Nickel 1874 Shield Nickel 1875 Shield Nickel 1876-1883 1876 Shield Nickel 1877 Shield Nickel 1877-1878 Proof Shield Nickels 1878 Shield Nickel 1879 Shield Nickel 1880 Shield Nickel 1881 Shield Nickel 1882 Shield Nickel 1883 Shield Nickel Search for:
The Shield Nickel was introduced in 1866, representing the first five cent denomination struck in copper-nickel. Originally, the five cent pieces produced for circulation within the United States had been struck from silver and were referred to as half dimes. For several years, the new “nickels” circulated alongside the old half dimes, but eventually the nickel would become the sole representative of the denomination. Shield Nickels would be produced across two major design varieties until 1883 when the new