1877 Proof Shield Nickel

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.

The 1877 Proof Shield Nickel coin, has a total mintage of 900, struck at the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania mint, and engraved by James Barton Longacre. Made of copper-nickel (.750 cu, .250 ni), weighing 5 grams, with a diameter of 20.5 mm, and a thickness of 1.95 mm, and featuring a plain edge.

The obverse is draped garland above shield. It reads “IN GOD WE TRUST 1872”. The reverse is value within center of 13 stars. It reads “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 5 ·CENTS·”.