US Shield Nickel
OriginUSA
First Minted1866
MaterialCopper-Nickel
TypeCoin
About US Shield Nickel
The first nickel five cent piece. Featured a shield on the obverse and the numeral 5 surrounded by stars on the reverse. Designed by James B. Longacre. The Shield nickel was hard to strike properly, making well struck examples valuable. The 1867 with rays variety is scarcer than without rays. The Shield nickel was replaced by the Liberty Head nickel in 1883.
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