LIBERTY NICKELS 1883-1912

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 DATE          GOOD           VERY GOOD            FINE           VERY FINE         EXTRA FINE
 1883nc   05201    9.95     05301   12.50     05401   14.95     05501   17.50     05601   22.50
 1883wc   05202   29.95     05302   47.50     05402   59.95     05502   89.95     05602  119.95
 1884     05203   32.50     05303   52.50     05403   59.95     05503   89.95     05603  124.95
 1885     05204  495.00     05304  875.00     05404     POR     05504     POR     05604     POR
 1886     05205  257.50     05305  350.00     05405  515.00     05505  650.00     05605  925.00
 1887     05206   19.95     05306   29.95     05406   49.95     05506   67.50     05606  109.95
 1888     05207   42.50     05307   67.50     05407   99.95     05507  175.00     05607  250.00
 1889     05208   19.95     05308   24.95     05408   49.95     05508   79.95     05608  119.95
 1890     05209   12.50     05309   24.95     05409   39.95     05509   59.95     05609   99.95
 1891     05210    7.95     05310   12.50     05410   32.50     05510   57.50     05610   89.95
 1892     05211    7.95     05311   12.50     05411   32.50     05511   59.95     05611   99.95
 1893     05212    7.95     05312   12.50     05412   32.50     05512   57.50     05612   89.95
 1894     05213   19,95     05313   47.50     05413  137.50     05513  230.00     05613  357.50
 1895     05214    6.95     05314    9.95     05414   37.50     05514   59.95     05614   99.95
 1896     05215    8.95     05315   32.50     05415   59.95     05515   99.95     05615  175.00
 1897     05216    4.95     05316    6.95     05416   12.50     05516   29.95     05616   69.95
 1898     05217    2.95     05317    5.95     05417   17.50     05517   27.50     05617   89.95
 1899     05218    2.95     05318    3.95     05418    6.95     05518   14.95     05618   49.95
 1900     05219    2.95     05319    3.95     05419    5.95     05519   14.95     05619   49.95
 1901     05220    2.50     05320    3.95     05420    5.95     05520   14.95     05620   49.95
 1902     05221    2.50     05321    3.95     05421    5.95     05521   14.95     05621   49.95
 1903     05222    2.50     05322    3.95     05422    5.95     05522   14.95     05622   49.95
 1904     05223    2.50     05323    3.95     05423    5.95     05523   14.95     05623   49.95
 1905     05224    2.50     05324    3.95     05424    5.95     05524   14.95     05624   49.95
 1906     05225    2.50     05325    3.95     05425    5.95     05525   14.95     05625   49.95
 1907     05226    2.50     05326    3.95     05426    5.95     05526   14.95     05626   49.95
 1908     05227    2.50     05327    3.95     05427    5.95     05527   14.95     05627   49.95
 1909     05228    2.95     05328    3.95     05428    5.95     05528   14.95     05628   49.95
 1910     05229    2.50     05329    3.95     05429    5.95     05529   14.95     05629   49.95
 1911     05230    2.50     05330    3.95     05430    5.95     05530   14.95     05630   49.95
 1912     05231    2.50     05331    3.95     05431    5.95     05531   14.95     05631   49.95
 1912d    05232    3.95     05332    5.95     05432   17.50     05532   57.50     05632  137.50
 1912s    05233  165.00     05333  192.50     05433  275.00     05533  675.00     05633     POR

GRADING LIBERTY NICKELS Grading standards for Liberty Nickels from good to extra fine.


The History of the Liberty Five Cent Piece (1883-1913):

The first Liberty Head Five Cent Pieces were issued in 1883. They were commonly called Liberty Nickels or V-Nickels. The obverse design depicting the bust of Liberty remained consistent for 31 years. The reverse design has however underwent a major redesign one quarter of the way through the first year of production. The reverse design on the original 1883 pieces depicted the roman numeral for five, a large 'V', to indicate the denomination. Opportunist were quick to exploit the Liberty Head Five Cent Piece by gold plating them, reeding the edges, and using them as five dollar gold pieces! The gold plated Liberty Head Five Cent Pieces were called Racketeer Nickels. The U.S. Mint was quick to change the design by adding "CENTS" to the reverse of the coin. The two varieties are commonly referred to as 'with cents' and 'no cents'.

The Liberty Head Five Cent Piece was designed by Charles E. Barber who also designed the familiar Barber Dime, Barber Quarter and Barber Half Dollar in 1892. The composition of the Liberty Head Five Cent Piece was 75% copper and 25% nickel. They had a weight of 5 grams, a diameter of 21.2mm, and a plain rim. All Liberty Head Five Cent Pieces were struck in Philadelphia with the exception of 1912 pieces which were produced in Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco.

There were no 1913 Liberty Nickels officially struck, although five specimens were illegally struck, using the U.S. Mint's own dies and facilities, by private initiative. All five of these 1913 Liberty Nickels are accounted for and are in private collections. By law, they could be confiscated by the government at any time as illegal coinage.


Key to abbreviations used on this page:

nc (No "Cents"): Refers to the first 1883 coins struck without the word "CENTS" under the denomination.

wc (With "Cents"): Refers to the second variety of 1883 coins struck with the word "CENTS" added under the denomination.

D (Denver): The 'D' mint mark is located on the obverse directly below the date.

S (San Francisco): The 'S' mint mark is located on the obverse directly below the date. Note: Cents struck in Philadelphia and West Point bear no mint mark.

GRADING LIBERTY NICKELS Grading standards for Liberty Nickels from good to extra fine.


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