Liberty Nickel

The Liberty Nickel, officially referred to as the V nickel, was produced from 1883 through 1912. It was designed by Charles E. Barber, United States Mint Chief Engraver. The Liberty Nickel is a five-cent coin, also known as a ‘nickel’, but instead of being made of bronze as later nickels tend to be, the Liberty Nickel is composed of 75 percent copper and 25 percent nickel.

The obverse of the coin features a left facing image of the Roman Goddess of Liberty, surrounded by 13 stars symbolizing the original 13 colonies. The reverse of the Liberty Nickel features a large Roman numeral “V” representing the coin’s denomination of five cents on a shield. The shield is surrounded by oak and laurel branches with a bowed ribbon below the shield.

The Liberty Nickel was widely used in circulation and by the end of its run, over 390 million coins had been minted. Although the Liberty Nickel had a long run, there were only two major design alterations during that time. From 1886 to 1912, the word “CENTS” was added to the reverse of the coin near the bottom of the shield, and from 1902 to 1912, a small bust of Liberty was added to the obverse side.

In 1909, the Liberty Nickel was one of the first coins to enter the United States Mint’s first ‘proof only’ series. This allowed for some of the coins to be specially produced for collectors and for them to have a superior finish than other Liberty Nickels found in circulation.

Due to the coin’s age, Liberty Nickels in good condition can be quite valuable. The more rare years and varieties can be worth thousands of dollars. As with any rare coin, its condition plays a key role in determining its value, but there are a few ways to identify a genuine Liberty Nickel.

Overall, the Liberty Nickel is a classic American coin that is perfect for any collector. The coins come in a variety of varieties and conditions to suit any budget and collection. Its long history makes it a great example of an iconic American coin.