3 Cent USA (1776 - ) Copper/Nickel

Metal:
Issue year(s):
1884

Catalog reference:



1866, United States. Beautiful Copper-Nickel 3 Cents (Trime) Coin.

Mint Year: 1866 Reference: KM-95. Designer: James B. Longacre Denomination: Nickel 3 Cents (Trime) Material: Copper-Nickel Diameter: 18mm Weight: 2.21gm

Obverse: Coronet head of lady Liberty left. Legend: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / 1866 Reverse: Roman numeral (III) within wreath.

The copper-nickel three-cent piece, often called a three-cent nickel piece or three-cent nickel, was designed by US Mint Chief Engraver James B. Longacre and struck by the United States Bureau of the Mint from 1865 to 1889. It was initially popular, but its place in commerce was supplanted by the five-cent piece, or nickel.

With precious metal federal coinage hoarded during the economic turmoil of the American Civil War, including the silver three-cent piece, and even the copper-nickel cent commanding a premium, Congress issued paper money in denominations as small as three cents to replace the hoarded coins in commerce. These small slips of paper became ragged and dirty, and the public came to hate “shinplasters”. After the issue of a lighter bronze cent, and also a two-cent piece, in 1864, both of which circulated freely, there were proposals for a three-cent piece in copper-nickel to replace the three-cent note. The advocates were led by Pennsylvania industrialist Joseph Wharton, who then controlled the domestic supply of nickel ore. On the last day of the congressional session, March 3, 1865, a bill for a three-cent piece in copper-nickel alloy was introduced in Congress, passed both houses without debate, and was signed by President Abraham Lincoln.

Although initially popular, the three-cent nickel piece became less so when the five-cent nickel was introduced in 1866, a larger, more convenient coin, with a value of five cents better fitting the decimal system. After 1870, most years saw low annual mintages for the three-cent nickel, and in 1890 Congress abolished it. The last were struck in 1889; many were melted down to coin more five-cent pieces. The issue is not widely collected, and prices for rare dates remain low by the standards of American collectible coinage.


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134  coins in the group
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Posted by: anonymous  2024-08-02
1873 U.S. 3 Cents Nickel Lot#A5536

(1205 X 600 pixels, file size: ~165K)
Posted by: anonymous  2015-03-06
1889 Nickel Three Cents. NGC graded Proof 66 PQ. CAC Approved. Very impressive Proof. Only 3,436 struck. This is indeed a satiny frosted, mirror-smooth Gem of the finest order for the grade. A high degree of bright surface luster spins broadly beneath rich nickel-gray highlights. Sharply struc ...

(827 X 405 pixels, file size: ~71K)
Posted by: anonymous  2015-09-01
USA 3 Cents 1868. NGC „MS62“. FDC.

(1205 X 600 pixels, file size: ~178K)
Posted by: anonymous  2015-03-06
1886 Nickel Three Cents. PCGS graded Proof 64. Light golden toning. Another of the popular low-mintage years: only 4,290 Proofs minted of this Proof-only issue (PCGS # 3782) . Estimated Value $325 - 350. Categories:

(1205 X 600 pixels, file size: ~172K)
Posted by: anonymous  2015-03-06
1884 Nickel Three Cents. PCGS graded Proof 64. Light even toning, a sharply made Proof. Low mintage year (PCGS # 3780) . Estimated Value $325 - 350. Categories:

(1205 X 600 pixels, file size: ~184K)
Posted by: anonymous  2015-03-06
1885 Nickel Three Cents. PCGS graded Proof 64. Lightly toned. Only 3,790 Proofs minted (PCGS # 3781) . Estimated Value $325 - 350. Categories:
Articles
3 Cent USA Coin   The 3-cent coin was a denomination of United States currency that was minted in two different designs: the silver 3-cent piece and the nickel 3-cent piece. Here's a brief overview of each:Silver 3-Cent Piece (1851-1873):Introduced in 1851, the silver 3-cent piece was initially minted to address the shortage of small denomination coins in circu ...
 1923-S Liberty Standing Quarter Dollar. PCGS graded MS-64 PQ. Well struck with the head nearly full. Close examination suggests this is a full head. Lightly toned around the edges. A nice origin ...
Sold for: $3000.0
1923-S Liberty Standing Quarter Dollar. PCGS graded MS-64 PQ. Well struck with the head nearly full. Close examination suggests this is a full head. Lightly toned around the edges. A nice origin ...
 1919-S. PCGS graded MS-64. CAC Approved. A very popular key date. Light hint of gold tone on the obverse. A well struck near-Gem that has deep silvery mint frost from center to periphery. A few  ...
Sold for: $8750.0
1919-S. PCGS graded MS-64. CAC Approved. A very popular key date. Light hint of gold tone on the obverse. A well struck near-Gem that has deep silvery mint frost from center to periphery. A few ...
 1919-D. PCGS graded MS-63. CAC Approved. Weak strike as usually seen for the date. But overall a beautiful lustrous untoned example for this rare date. The end of the First World War, celebrated ...
Sold for: $10550.0
1919-D. PCGS graded MS-63. CAC Approved. Weak strike as usually seen for the date. But overall a beautiful lustrous untoned example for this rare date. The end of the First World War, celebrated ...
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