Three Cents (Nickel) 1865-1889 Coin Guide-Pictures

SPECIFICATIONS:

Designer: James Barton Longacre

Diameter: 17.9 millimeters

Metal content:

Nickel - 25%

Copper - 75%

Weight: 30 grains (1.9 grams)

Edge: Plain

Mintmark: None (all dates of this type were struck at the Philadelphia, PA Mint)

Copper-Nickel 3 Cents 1865-1889

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1865

1866

1867

1868

1869

1870

1871

1872

1873 Closed 3

1873 Open 3

1874

1875

1876

1877 Proof

1878 Proof

1879

1880

1881

1882

1883

1884

1885

1886 Proof

1887/6 Proof

1887

1888

1889

Cherry Picker's List:

1873 Found in Open 3 and Closed 3 varieties. All of the Proofs are of the Closed 3 variety.

1877 Rare, Proof-only date.

1878 Struck only as Proofs.

1887 Look for the 1887/6 variety on Proofs.

Key Dates:

1879

1880

1882

1883

1884

1885

1887

1888

1889

FACTS:

The original purpose of the Three Cents coins to provide an intermediate denomination between the Cent and Half Dime, making it easier to change some of the odd foreign coins that were legal tender in America at that time. These tiny coins were known officially as "Trimes" and unofficially as "fish scales."

Date/Mint Mark	Grade	Value
1865	F12	$30
1866	F12	$30
1867	F12	$30
1868	F12	$30
1869	F12	$30
1870	F12	$30
1871	F12	$30
1872	F12	$35
1873 Closed 3	F12	$30
1873 Open 3	F12	$30
1874	F12	$30
1875	F12	$35
1876	F12	$35
1877 Proof only	F12	$1,400
1878 Proof only	F12	$800
1879	F12	$110
1880	F12	$150
1881	F12	$30
1882	F12	$225
1883	F12	$325
1884	F12	$700
1885	F12	$750
1886 Proof only	F12	$375
1887/6 Proof only	F12	$400
1887	F12	$450
1888	F12	$85
1889	F12	$175

The below listed values are for the lowest starting grade. Examples that are higher in grade trade for more, and coins that cleaned, damaged or altered will trade for less.

Date	Mintage
1865 1866 1867 1868 1869 1870 1871 1872 1873 1874 1875 1876 1877 1878 1879 1880 1881 1882 1883 1884 1885 1886 1887 1888 1889	11,382,000 4,801,000 3,915,000 3,252,000 1,604,000 1,335,000 604,000 862,000 1,173,000 790,000 228,000 162,000 0 Proof only 0 Proof only 38,000 21,000 1,077,000 22,200 4,000 1,700 1,000 0 Proof only 5,000 36,500 18,125

All mintages are as recorded by the US Mint and doesn't reflect the amount of coins presently in existence. Coins lost or melted for their metal content, over the years, causes their numbers to decline.