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Greysheet & CPG® PRICE GUIDE

About This Series

The Greysheet Catalog (GSID) of the Shield Nickels series of Nickels in the U.S. Coins contains 46 distinct entries with CPG® values between $17.55 and $185,800.00.
Shield nickels were struck from 1866 through 1883 and designed by James B. Longacre. These 75% copper, 25% nickel coins, the first 5-cent pieces with this composition, circulated concurrently with the physically smaller but equally denominated half dime, which also has a face value of five cents.

Generally speaking, the scarcest Shield nickels were minted from 1877 through 1881, with the 1866, 1867 Without Rays, 1868, 1869, and 1882 issues being the most commonly encountered dates across the grading spectrum. The rarest issues by date are the 1877 and 1878 Shield nickels, which are proof-only issues with a combined mintage of less than 3,000 pieces.

Shield nickel varieties include the 1867 Rays and 1867 Without Rays, with the former showcasing rays between the stars that encircle the large numeral 5 on the coin's reverse. Earlier into production that year, the rays were removed, leaving only stars around the '5.' Another set of important varieties are found on 1873 nickels with the Closed 3 and Open 3, as evidenced in the fourth numeral of the date. The 1873 Open 3 is far more common than the 1873 Closed 3. All Shield nickels were made at the Philadelphia Mint.

Catalog Detail

  Shield Nickels Value Range Favorite
Shield Nickels Value Range  
1866-1867 Rays 5c MS Type Coin
$20.25
-
$50,400
$20.25 - $50,400
1867-1883 No Rays 5c MS Type Coin
$17.55
-
$3,750
$17.55 - $3,750
1866 Rays 5c MS
$20.25
-
$3,900
$20.25 - $3,900
1866/1866 Rays, Repunched Date 5c MS
$286
-
$10,500
$286 - $10,500
1866 Rays, RPD & Obv Die Clash 5c MS FS-306/401
-
 
1867 Rays 5c MS
$22.95
-
$50,400
$22.95 - $50,400
1867 No Rays 5c MS
$17.55
-
$13,000
$17.55 - $13,000
1868 5c MS
$17.55
-
$12,000
$17.55 - $12,000
1868 Reverse of 1868 5c MS FS-901
-
 
1868 Reverse of 1868 5c MS FS-902
-
 
1868 Reverse of 1868 5c MS FS-903
-
 
1868 Reverse of 1868 5c MS FS-904
-
 
1868 Reverse of 1868 5c MS FS-905
-
 
1868 Reverse of 1868 5c MS FS-906
-
 
1869 5c MS
$17.55
-
$7,500
$17.55 - $7,500
1870 5c MS
$20.25
-
$2,750
$20.25 - $2,750

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1871 5c MS
$61.00
-
$15,100
$61.00 - $15,100
1872 5c MS
$33.75
-
$15,100
$33.75 - $15,100
1873 Closed 3 5c MS
$40.50
-
$6,000
$40.50 - $6,000
1873 Open 3 5c MS
$24.30
-
$4,060
$24.30 - $4,060
1873 Doubled Die Obverse 5c MS
-
 
1873 Doubled Die Obverse 5c MS Closed 3, FS-101
-
 
1873 Doubled Die Obverse 5c MS Closed 3, FS-102
-
 
1873 Doubled Die Obverse 5c MS Closed 3, FS-103
-
 
1873 Doubled Die Obverse 5c MS Closed 3, FS-104
-
 
1873 Doubled Die Obverse 5c MS Open 3, FS-1101
-
 
1873 Doubled Die Obverse 5c MS Open 3, FS-1102
-
 
1873 Doubled Die Obverse 5c MS Open 3, FS-1103
-
 
1873 Large/Small 3 5c MS FS-1301
$11,300
-
$22,800
$11,300 - $22,800
1874 5c MS
$25.65
-
$3,300
$25.65 - $3,300
1875 5c MS
$39.15
-
$2,500
$39.15 - $2,500

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1876 5c MS
$33.75
-
$2,400
$33.75 - $2,400
1879 5c MS
$468
-
$18,700
$468 - $18,700
1880 5c MS Key Date
$2,190
-
$122,400
$2,190 - $122,400
1881 5c MS
$215.00
-
$8,250
$215.00 - $8,250
1882 5c MS
$17.55
-
$3,750
$17.55 - $3,750
1883 Shield 5c MS
$17.55
-
$3,750
$17.55 - $3,750
1883 Shield 5c MS Repunched Date, FS-311
-
 
1883 Shield 5c MS Repunched Date, FS-312
-
 
1883/2 Shield 5c MS Overdate
$195.00
-
$12,200
$195.00 - $12,200
1883/2 Shield 5c MS FS-301
$195.00
-
$12,200
$195.00 - $12,200
1883/2 Shield 5c MS FS-302
$195.00
-
$12,200
$195.00 - $12,200
1883/2 Shield 5c MS FS-303
$195.00
-
$12,200
$195.00 - $12,200
1883/2 Shield 5c MS FS-304
$195.00
-
$12,200
$195.00 - $12,200
1883/2 Shield 5c MS FS-305
-
 
Shield Nickel Set (18 Coins, no 83/2) 5c MS Set Total
$3,220
-
$185,800
$3,220 - $185,800
       

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Greysheet Catalog Details

Shield nickels were struck from 1866 through 1883 and designed by James B. Longacre. These 75% copper, 25% nickel coins, the first 5-cent pieces with this composition, circulated concurrently with the physically smaller but equally denominated half dime, which also has a face value of five cents.

Generally speaking, the scarcest Shield nickels were minted from 1877 through 1881, with the 1866, 1867 Without Rays, 1868, 1869, and 1882 issues being the most commonly encountered dates across the grading spectrum. The rarest issues by date are the 1877 and 1878 Shield nickels, which are proof-only issues with a combined mintage of less than 3,000 pieces.

Shield nickel varieties include the 1867 Rays and 1867 Without Rays, with the former showcasing rays between the stars that encircle the large numeral 5 on the coin's reverse. Earlier into production that year, the rays were removed, leaving only stars around the '5.' Another set of important varieties are found on 1873 nickels with the Closed 3 and Open 3, as evidenced in the fourth numeral of the date. The 1873 Open 3 is far more common than the 1873 Closed 3. All Shield nickels were made at the Philadelphia Mint.

Catalog Detail