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Greysheet & CPG® PRICE GUIDE

Greysheet Catalog Details

Proof versions of the Shield nickel were struck during every year of the series run from 1866 through 1883. The Shield nickel, designed by James B. Longacre, became America?s first copper-nickel five-cent coin and is the forerunner of the nickel that we use today in commerce.

Proof Shield nickels are generally scarce, with between 600 and 3,000 pieces struck during any given year, with a few exceptions. On the high end of proof production is the 1883 proof Shield nickel, with 5,419 specimens struck. On the low side is the 1867 Rays proof Shield nickel, which saw a mintage of merely 25 pieces.

There are a few interesting notes about proof Shield nickels. The extraordinarily scarce 1867 Without Rays Pattern Reverse Shield nickel is one of the most challenging issues. The 1877 and 1878 are proof-only dates for the Shield nickel and thus trade at much higher levels due to pressure from date-set collectors. Also of note is the scarce 1879/8 proof overdate, though estimates by Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) suggest this variety is probably about as common, or only a little less so, than the so-called normal date.

Catalog Detail

  Shield Nickels (Proof) Value Range Favorite
Shield Nickels (Proof) Value Range  
1866-1867 Rays 5c PR Type Coin
$1,220
-
$15,100
$1,220 - $15,100
1866-1867 Rays 5c PR CAM Type Coin
$1,440
-
$18,000
$1,440 - $18,000
1866-1867 Rays 5c PR DCAM Type Coin
$6,880
-
$48,000
$6,880 - $48,000
1867-1883 No Rays 5c PR Type Coin
$247.00
-
$8,250
$247.00 - $8,250
1867-1883 No Rays 5c PR CAM Type Coin
$400
-
$11,300
$400 - $11,300
1867-1883 No Rays 5c PR DCAM Type Coin
$975
-
$15,000
$975 - $15,000
1866 Rays 5c PR
$1,220
-
$15,100
$1,220 - $15,100
1866 Rays 5c PR CAM
$1,440
-
$18,000
$1,440 - $18,000
1866 Rays 5c PR DCAM
$6,880
-
$48,000
$6,880 - $48,000
1867 Rays 5c PR
$21,600
-
$60,000
$21,600 - $60,000
1867 Rays 5c PR CAM
$38,400
-
$79,200
$38,400 - $79,200
1867 No Rays 5c PR
$247.00
-
$2,250
$247.00 - $2,250
1867 No Rays 5c PR CAM
$715
-
$5,250
$715 - $5,250
1867 No Rays 5c PR DCAM
$2,400
-
$19,800
$2,400 - $19,800
1867 No Rays 5c PR Pattern Reverse
$3,750
-
$15,600
$3,750 - $15,600
1867 No Rays 5c PR CAM Pattern Reverse
$5,000
-
$19,200
$5,000 - $19,200
1868 5c PR
$247.00
-
$4,380
$247.00 - $4,380
1868 5c PR CAM
$650
-
$5,250
$650 - $5,250
1868 5c PR DCAM
$6,250
-
$8,130
$6,250 - $8,130
1869 5c PR
$247.00
-
$4,950
$247.00 - $4,950
1869 5c PR CAM
$486
-
$13,800
$486 - $13,800

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1870 5c PR
$247.00
-
$1,580
$247.00 - $1,580
1870 5c PR CAM
$400
-
$14,400
$400 - $14,400
1871 5c PR
$247.00
-
$6,750
$247.00 - $6,750
1871 5c PR CAM
$400
-
$7,430
$400 - $7,430
1871 5c PR DCAM
$6,880
-
$38,400
$6,880 - $38,400
1872 5c PR
$247.00
-
$4,500
$247.00 - $4,500
1872 5c PR CAM
$400
-
$4,950
$400 - $4,950
1872 5c PR DCAM
$5,630
-
$19,200
$5,630 - $19,200
1873 Closed 3 5c PR
$247.00
-
$3,600
$247.00 - $3,600
1873 Closed 3 5c PR CAM
$437
-
$8,130
$437 - $8,130
1874 5c PR
$247.00
-
$3,900
$247.00 - $3,900
1874 5c PR CAM
$442
-
$4,500
$442 - $4,500
1874 5c PR DCAM
$6,250
-
$7,500
$6,250 - $7,500
1875 5c PR
$273
-
$6,000
$273 - $6,000
1875 5c PR CAM
$458
-
$6,600
$458 - $6,600
1876 5c PR
$247.00
-
$3,300
$247.00 - $3,300
1876 5c PR CAM
$400
-
$3,630
$400 - $3,630
1876 5c PR DCAM
$3,750
-
$15,000
$3,750 - $15,000
1877 5c PR
$1,560
-
$9,380
$1,560 - $9,380
1877 5c PR CAM
$3,300
-
$11,300
$3,300 - $11,300
1877 5c PR DCAM
$4,380
-
$13,200
$4,380 - $13,200
1878 5c PR
$780
-
$2,100
$780 - $2,100
1878 5c PR CAM
$1,280
-
$2,120
$1,280 - $2,120
1878 5c PR DCAM
$3,750
-
$30,000
$3,750 - $30,000
1879 5c PR
$247.00
-
$8,250
$247.00 - $8,250
1879 5c PR CAM
$468
-
$3,600
$468 - $3,600
1879 5c PR DCAM
$5,500
-
$7,000
$5,500 - $7,000
1879/8 5c PR
$371
-
$9,750
$371 - $9,750
1879/8 5c PR CAM
$501
-
$3,300
$501 - $3,300
1879/8 5c PR DCAM
-
 
1880 5c PR
$247.00
-
$1,470
$247.00 - $1,470
1880 5c PR CAM
$400
-
$1,880
$400 - $1,880
1880 5c PR DCAM
$2,500
-
$4,500
$2,500 - $4,500
1881 5c PR
$247.00
-
$1,470
$247.00 - $1,470
1881 5c PR CAM
$400
-
$1,880
$400 - $1,880
1881 5c PR DCAM
$1,880
-
$9,380
$1,880 - $9,380
1882 5c PR
$247.00
-
$8,250
$247.00 - $8,250
1882 5c PR CAM
$400
-
$1,880
$400 - $1,880
1882 5c PR DCAM
$975
-
$9,380
$975 - $9,380
1883 Shield 5c PR
$247.00
-
$8,250
$247.00 - $8,250
1883 Shield 5c PR CAM
$400
-
$1,880
$400 - $1,880
1883 Shield 5c PR DCAM
$3,750
-
$4,500
$3,750 - $4,500

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Shield Nickel Set (20 Coins) 5c PR Set Total
$30,200
-
$89,900
$30,200 - $89,900
       

Greysheet Catalog Details

Proof versions of the Shield nickel were struck during every year of the series run from 1866 through 1883. The Shield nickel, designed by James B. Longacre, became America?s first copper-nickel five-cent coin and is the forerunner of the nickel that we use today in commerce.

Proof Shield nickels are generally scarce, with between 600 and 3,000 pieces struck during any given year, with a few exceptions. On the high end of proof production is the 1883 proof Shield nickel, with 5,419 specimens struck. On the low side is the 1867 Rays proof Shield nickel, which saw a mintage of merely 25 pieces.

There are a few interesting notes about proof Shield nickels. The extraordinarily scarce 1867 Without Rays Pattern Reverse Shield nickel is one of the most challenging issues. The 1877 and 1878 are proof-only dates for the Shield nickel and thus trade at much higher levels due to pressure from date-set collectors. Also of note is the scarce 1879/8 proof overdate, though estimates by Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) suggest this variety is probably about as common, or only a little less so, than the so-called normal date.

Catalog Detail