The third design for the nickel, was the Indian Head or Buffalo Nickel. This coin is popular with collectors as a uniquely American coin design. The obverse features a native American and the reverse features the American Bison, often called a buffalo. The coin specifications once again remained unchanged. Coins were stuck at all three mints, with coin struck at San Francisco generally having the lowest mintages. The Buffalo Nickel was struck in proof for only the first five years and last two years of production.
Buffalo Nickel Coin Specifications
| Dates: |
1913-1938 |
| Mints: |
Philadelphia |
|
Denver |
|
San Francisco |
| Composition: |
75% copper |
|
25% nickel |
| Weight: |
5.00 grams |
|
0.16 ounces |
| Diameter: |
21.21 mm |
|
0.84 inches |
nickels buffalo
The nickel denomination saw its second design with the Liberty Nickel, introduced in 1883. The coin had the same composition as the Shield Nickel fore it, with 75% copper and 25% nickel. The Liberty Nickel was minted only at the Philadelphia Mint until the last year of production when coins were also minted in Denver and San Francisco. These were the first coins of the denomination minted somewhere other than Philadelphia. The Liberty Nickel was well circulated, and has a few notable key date coins that are rare across all grades. Proof coins were minted in every year of issue.
Liberty Nickel Coin Specifications
| Dates: |
1883-1912 |
| Mints: |
Philadelphia |
|
Denver |
|
San Francisco |
| Composition: |
75% copper |
|
25% nickel |
| Weight: |
5.00 grams |
|
0.16 ounces |
| Diameter: |
21.21 mm |
|
0.84 inches |
nickels liberty
Although a five cent piece had been struck since 1794, the denomination did not reach its current form until 1866 when the Shield Nickel was produced. This coin used a composition of 75% copper and 25% nickel, rather than the silver based composition of the half dime. The series was relatively short and ran from 1866 to 1883 before being replaced with the Liberty Head Nickel. The Shield Nickel series does contain some major rarities in both circulation and proof strikes.
Shield Nickel Coin Specifications
| Dates: |
1866 - 1883 |
| Mints: |
Philadelphia |
| Composition: |
75% copper |
|
25% nickel |
| Weight: |
5.0 grams |
|
0.16 ounces |
| Diameter: |
20.50 mm |
|
0.81 inches |
nickels Shield