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Greysheet & CPG® PRICE GUIDE

About This Series

The Greysheet Catalog (GSID) of the Shield Nickels (1866–1883) series of Nickels in the U.S. Coins contains 81 distinct entries with CPG® values between $17.50 and $208,500.00.
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 (1866–1883) Value Range Favorite
Shield Nickels (1866–1883) Value Range  
Shield Nickel 5c Rays, 1866-1867 MS Type Coin
$20.00
-
$43,000
$20.00 - $43,000
Shield Nickel 5c No Rays, 1867-1883 MS Type Coin
$17.50
-
$3,250
$17.50 - $3,250
1866 5c Rays MS
$20.00
-
$43,000
$20.00 - $43,000
1866 5c Rays, Doubled Die Obverse, FS-101 MS
-
 
1866 5c Rays, Doubled Die Obverse, FS-102 MS
-
 
1866/1866 5c Rays, Repunched Date MS
$195.00
-
$10,500
$195.00 - $10,500
1866/1866 5c Rays, Repunched Date, FS-301 MS
-
 
1866/1866 5c Rays, Repunched Date, FS-302 MS
-
 
1866/1866 5c Rays, Repunched Date, FS-303 MS
-
 
1866/1866 5c Rays, Repunched Date, FS-304 MS
-
 
1866/1866 5c Rays, Repunched Date, FS-305 MS
-
 
1866/1866 5c Rays, RPD & Obv Die Clash , FS-306/401 MS
-
 
1866/1866 5c Rays, Repunched Date, FS-307 MS
-
 
1866/1866 5c Rays, Repunched Date, FS-308 MS
-
 
1866/1866 5c Rays, RPD & Clashed Rev Die, FS-901 MS
-
 
1867 5c Rays MS
$23.00
-
$43,000
$23.00 - $43,000
1867 5c Rays, Repunched Date, FS-301 MS
$2,300
-
$11,500
$2,300 - $11,500
1867 5c Rays, DDO & RPD, FS-302 MS
$525
-
$525
$525 - $525
1867 5c Rays, Repunched Date, FS-303 MS
$525
-
$725
$525 - $725
1867 5c Rays, MPD, FS-304 MS
$1,900
-
$3,500
$1,900 - $3,500
1867 5c Rays, Clashed Reverse Die, FS-901 MS
-
 
1867 5c Rays, Mis-aligned Die Clash, FS-1401 MS
$1,900
-
$24,000
$1,900 - $24,000
1867 5c Rays, Obv/Rev Die Clash, FS-1402 MS
-
 
1867 5c No Rays MS
$17.50
-
$13,000
$17.50 - $13,000
1867 5c No Rays, Doubled Die Obverse, FS-1101 MS
$455
-
$490
$455 - $490
1868 5c MS
$17.50
-
$12,000
$17.50 - $12,000
1868 5c Doubled Die Obverse, FS-101 MS
-
 
1868 5c Doubled Die Obverse, FS-103 MS
-
 
1868 5c Doubled Die Obverse, FS-104 MS
-
 
1868 5c Doubled Die Obverse, FS-106 MS
-
 
1868 5c Reverse of 1868, FS-901 MS
-
 
1868 5c Reverse of 1868, FS-902 MS
-
 
1868 5c Reverse of 1868, FS-903 MS
-
 
1868 5c Reverse of 1868, FS-904 MS
-
 
1868 5c Reverse of 1868, FS-905 MS
-
 
1868 5c Reverse of 1868, FS-906 MS
-
 
1869 5c MS
$17.50
-
$7,500
$17.50 - $7,500
1869 5c Narrow Date, FS-301 MS
-
 

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1870 5c MS
$20.00
-
$2,750
$20.00 - $2,750
1870 5c DDO & DDR, FS-102 MS
-
 
1871 5c MS
$60.00
-
$15,000
$60.00 - $15,000
1871 5c MS PL
-
 
1871 5c Repunched Date, FS-301 MS
-
 
1872 5c MS
$34.00
-
$15,000
$34.00 - $15,000
1872 5c Double Die Obverse, FS-101 MS
-
 
1872 5c Double Die Obverse, FS-103 MS
-
 
1872 5c Sm/Lg Date, FS-308 MS
-
 
1873 5c Closed 3 MS
$41.00
-
$6,000
$41.00 - $6,000
1873 5c Open 3 MS
$24.00
-
$4,050
$24.00 - $4,050
1873 5c Doubled Die Obverse MS
$95.00
-
$3,750
$95.00 - $3,750
1873 5c Doubled Die Obverse, Closed 3, FS-101 MS
$295
-
$3,750
$295 - $3,750
1873 5c Doubled Die Obverse, Closed 3, FS-102 MS
$295
-
$3,750
$295 - $3,750
1873 5c Doubled Die Obverse, Closed 3, FS-103 MS
$295
-
$3,750
$295 - $3,750
1873 5c Doubled Die Obverse, Closed 3, FS-104 MS
-
 
1873 5c Doubled Die Obverse, Open 3, FS-1101 MS
$2,000
-
$2,400
$2,000 - $2,400
1873 5c Doubled Die Obverse, Open 3, FS-1102 MS
$525
-
$2,400
$525 - $2,400
1873 5c Doubled Die Obverse, Open 3, FS-1103 MS
$5,000
-
$6,000
$5,000 - $6,000
1873 5c Large/Small 3, FS-1301 MS
$11,500
-
$23,000
$11,500 - $23,000
1874 5c MS
$26.00
-
$3,300
$26.00 - $3,300
1874 5c Doubled Die Obverse, FS-101 MS
-
 
1874 5c Doubled Die Obverse, FS-102 MS
-
 
1874 5c Doubled Die Obverse, FS-103 MS
-
 
1874 5c Doubled Die Obverse, FS-104 MS
-
 
1874 5c Repunched Date, FS-301 MS
-
 
1875 5c MS
$39.00
-
$2,500
$39.00 - $2,500
1875 5c Double Die Obverse, FS-101 MS
-
 
1876 5c MS
$34.00
-
$2,400
$34.00 - $2,400
1879 5c MS
$470
-
$18,500
$470 - $18,500
1880 5c MS Key Date
$2,200
-
$144,000
$2,200 - $144,000
1881 5c MS
$215.00
-
$8,250
$215.00 - $8,250
1882 5c MS
$17.50
-
$3,250
$17.50 - $3,250
1883 5c Shield MS
$17.50
-
$3,250
$17.50 - $3,250
1883 5c Shield, Repunched Date, FS-311 MS
-
 
1883 5c Shield, Repunched Date, FS-312 MS
-
 

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1883/2 5c Shield, Overdate MS
$195.00
-
$21,500
$195.00 - $21,500
1883/2 5c Shield, FS-301 MS
$195.00
-
$21,500
$195.00 - $21,500
1883/2 5c Shield, FS-302 MS
$195.00
-
$21,500
$195.00 - $21,500
1883/2 5c Shield, FS-303 MS
$195.00
-
$21,500
$195.00 - $21,500
1883/2 5c Shield, FS-304 MS
$195.00
-
$21,500
$195.00 - $21,500
1883/2 5c Shield, FS-305 MS
-
 
Shield Nickel Set 5c no 1883/2, 18 Coins MS Set Total
$3,200
-
$208,500
$3,200 - $208,500
       

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Greysheet Catalog Details

The Greysheet Catalog (GSID) of the Shield Nickels (1866–1883) series of Nickels in the U.S. Coins contains 81 distinct entries with CPG® values between $17.50 and $208,500.00.
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