Shield Nickel
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Spanning 1866 to 1883, the Shield Nickel catalog contains 42 year-and-mintmark variants. Across the series, the key date is the 1867 Shield Nickel at just 25 struck and the highest-value variant is the 1880 Shield Nickel at up to $130,000 in top grade.
Shield Nickel · All Strikes Mintage by Year
Peak 31MCombined mintage per year across every strike type (circulated, proof, and specimen) and all mintmarks.
About the Shield Nickel
The Shield Nickel is a five-cent coin minted by the United States Mint from 1866 to 1883. It was the first piece of official five-cent coinage that the US government ever produced, replacing the half-dime formerly used. The Shield Nickel has a notable design, with a large, ornate shield centered in the obverse, which is surrounded by smaller details. On the reverse, the phrase “Five Cents” is inscribed inside a wreath and above a Roman numeral V.
The Shield Nickel was designed by James B. Longacre and struck at the Philadelphia and San Francisco mints. It contains a copper-nickel alloy, and weighs 5 grams. The coins were minted in various quantities, depending on the year: in 1866, almost 91 million pieces were produced. The mintage declined over time, and in 1883 the Shield Nickel ceased to be produced.
The obverse of the Shield Nickel features a large, ornate shield that is representative of the United States. The shield is surrounded by small symbols on the left and right, including a bundle of rods and a cornucopia. Across the top is the inscription “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.”
On the reverse, the inscription “FIVE CENTS” is inscribed inside a wreath. There is a numeral five in Roman numerals (V) below the wreath. The reverse also features a small wreath around the numeral.
The Shield Nickel was the first official five-cent coinage released in the United States, and it was an important milestone in the US Mint's history. It has a notable design, with ornate details on the obverse and reverse that are reflective of the nation's spirit. Although theShield Nickel is no longer in active production, it is still an important part of US coinage history.
Most-collected Shield Nickel coins on LuckyCoin
Looking for coins from a specific year across every denomination? Browse US coin values by year →
Which Shield Nickel coins do collectors actually own? See the 2026 rarity & ownership report →
Frequently Asked Questions
- When was the Shield Nickel minted?
- The Shield Nickel was minted by United States from 1866 to 1883.
- How many Shield Nickel coins were minted?
- Across every year and mintmark, approximately 128,048,584 Shield Nickel coins were struck.
- What is the Shield Nickel made of?
- The Shield Nickel is made of copper-nickel (.750 cu, .250 ni), weighs 5 grams, and measures 20.5 mm in diameter.
- How much is a Shield Nickel worth?
- Value depends on year, mintmark, and condition. Common dates in average circulated condition trade for near face value, while the rarest varieties in top grade can fetch up to $130,000. See individual year pages for grade-by-grade estimates.