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The 1869 Shield Nickel is very common as the mintage is quite high, at over 16 million, making it a great type coin. Easily accessible in all grades until MS67 where it becomes quite scarce. This issue is known to have obverse die cracks and weakly struck stars although there are a fair amount of nice examples out there.
Obverse Description
A shield flanked on the left and right by leaves topped with a cross with arrows positioned behind at the bottom so the arrow heads and shanks protrude at the sides. The motto IN GOD WE TRUST appears at the top periphery with the date positioned at the bottom center.
Reverse Description
A large numeral 5 surrounded by 13 stars centered in the design with UNITED STATES OF AMERICA * CENTS around the periphery.
Book Reference
Key to Collecting: The 1869 is plentiful in most grades. In Mint State, most are in the lower range. True gems, sharply detailed and with good eye appeal, are rare. An MS-64 or MS-65 is a good goal for a fine collection, when such pieces are selected with care as to their sharpness and overall quality.
There were two different date logotypes used this year: Narrow Date and Wide Date. These are interesting to collect and can be obtained by a bit of looking, as the varieties are not widely known. Proofs were made in fair quantity and appear on the market with frequency today, although quality can be a problem.
CIRCULATION STRIKES:
Characteristics and Appearance: Striking is slightly better than on average for the preceding years, but many have some weakness on the horizontal shield lines and star centers. The luster is satiny and sometimes slightly prooflike. As many die pairs were used, no one rule fits all.
VARIETIES:
Narrow Date—FS-301, F-01. From the center of the 1 to the center of the 9, the Narrow Date occupies the space of eight denticles, while the Wide Date occupies about nine. The Narrow Date is scarcer and was used only on circulation strikes. All examples have the normal reverse. Certain four-digit date logotypes for the 1869 coinage were supplied to the Mint on October 10, 1868, by local letter-cutter S.E. Adamson.
Wide Date—FS-1101, F-413. From the center of the 1 to the center of the 9 the Wide Date occupies the space of nine denticles. The Wide Date was used on circulation strikes and Proofs. Circulation strikes are known with Obverse Styles 1a and 1b and with the normal reverse and the Reverse of 1868.
Missing Leaf—No outside leaf on the second group at right; three leaves instead of four. At least six dies have this feature. See the listing for 1868 for a representative illustration.
Other varieties—Several varieties with slightly doubled dies and/or repunched dates are listed by Fivaz-Stanton, Fletcher, and Peters-Mohon. Breen’s “1869/8 overdate,” B-2480, has been discredited. Coins struck with the combination of Obverse Style 1b and Reverse D (the normal reverse) are rare.
Catalog Information
GSID:
2872
Designer:
James B. Longacre
Obverse Designer:
James B. Longacre
Obverse Lettering:
IN GOD WE TRUST, 1869
Reverse Designer:
James B. Longacre
Reverse Lettering:
5, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, CENTS
Weight (gr):
5 gr
Weight (oz):
0.1608 oz
Strike Type:
Business
Diameter:
20.5
Coin Shape:
Round
Edge:
Plain
Coin Date:
1869
Denomination:
5c
Designation:
MS
Mint Location:
Philadelphia
Mintage:
16,395,000
Coinage Type:
Shield nickel
Coinage Years:
1867-1883
Composition:
75% copper; 25% nickel
PCGS #:
3796
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Body: Referring page: http://dev.greysheet.com/prices/item/1869-5c-shield-nickel/gsid/2872 GSID: 2872 Title: 1869 5c MS
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Coin Value History
1869 5c MS
Value By Grade
1869 5c MS
CPG (retail) values
Currency
Grade Range
Grading Authority
Sort by
Pricing
Values
Greysheet & CPG® Values
| Grade | CAC | CPG Value (Retail) | Greysheet Price (Wholesale) |
|---|---|---|---|
| MS67 |
|
$7,500 | $1,234 |
| MS67 | - | $6,250 | $1,234 |
| MS66 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| MS66 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| MS65 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| MS65 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| MS64 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| MS64 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| MS63 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| MS63 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| MS62 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| MS62 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| MS61 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| MS61 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| MS60 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| MS60 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| AU58 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| AU58 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| AU55 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| AU55 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| AU53 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| AU53 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| AU50 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| AU50 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| XF45 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| XF45 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| XF40 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| XF40 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| VF35 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| VF35 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| VF30 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| VF30 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| VF25 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| VF25 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| VF20 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| VF20 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| F15 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| F15 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| F12 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| F12 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| VG10 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| VG10 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| VG8 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| VG8 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| G6 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| G6 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| G4 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| G4 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| AG3 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| AG3 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
Shield Nickel 5c Rays, 1866-1867 MS [Type]
![Shield Nickel 5c Rays, 1866-1867 MS [Type]](https://images.greysheet.com/ctc/catalog/raysMS.jpg?MaxWidth=200&Mode=Pad&Scale=UpscaleCanvas&format=webp)
Worth: $15 – $36,000
1866 5c Rays MS
Worth: $15 – $36,000
1866/1866 5c Rays, Repunched Date MS
Worth: $150 – $14,400
1867 5c Rays MS
Worth: $17 – $36,000
Shield Nickel 5c No Rays, 1867-1883 MS [Type]
![Shield Nickel 5c No Rays, 1867-1883 MS [Type]](https://images.greysheet.com/ctc/catalog/noRaysMS.jpg?MaxWidth=200&Mode=Pad&Scale=UpscaleCanvas&format=webp)
Worth: $13 – $2,592
1867 5c No Rays MS
Worth: $13 – $10,800
1868 5c MS
Worth: $13 – $9,600
1870 5c MS
Worth: $15 – $2,200
1871 5c MS
Worth: $45 – $12,600
1872 5c MS
Worth: $25 – $12,600
1873 5c Closed 3 MS
Worth: $30 – $4,800
1873 5c Open 3 MS
Worth: $18 – $3,250
1873 5c Large/Small 3, Open 3, FS-1301 MS
Worth: $6,000 – $19,000
1873 5c Doubled Die Obverse MS
Worth: $70 – $3,000
1874 5c MS
Worth: $19 – $2,640
1869 5C MS65 NGC. CAC. Housed in a Generation 4 fatty holder. CAC: 31 in 65, 13 finer (12/25). CDN: $600 Whsle. Bid for NG...
$1,098
1869 5C AU55 PCGS. PCGS Population: 64 in 55, 558 finer (11/25). CDN: $95 Whsle. Bid for NGC/PCGS AU55. Mintage 16,395,000....
$124
1869 5C MS64 NGC. CDN: $300 Whsle. Bid for NGC/PCGS MS64. Mintage 16,395,000. ...
$384
1869 5C AU58 PCGS. PCGS Population: (63/471). Mintage 16,395,000. ...
$119
1869 5C MS63 NGC. Mintage 16,395,000. ...
$240
1869 5C MS66+ CACG....
$3,720
1869 5C Shield AU50 ANACS. Mintage 16,395,000....
$89
1869 5C Shield Nickel -- Obverse Half of Split Planchet After Strike -- VF20 NGC....
$264
1869 5C MS61 NGC. NGC Census: (30/438). PCGS Population: (5/455). CDN: $140 Whsle. Bid for NGC/PCGS MS61. Mintage 16,395,00...
$127
1869 5C Doubled Die Obverse, Fine 15 PCGS. Minor Variety. PCGS Population: (0/1 and 0/0+). NGC Census: (0/0 and 0/0+). Fine...
$71
1869 5C MS62 PCGS. PCGS Population: (50/406). NGC Census: (69/373). CDN: $155 Whsle. Bid for NGC/PCGS MS62. Mintage 16,395,...
$264
1869 5C Shield Nickel -- Struck 25% Off Center -- XF45 NGC. ...
$1,920
1869 5C MS60 PCGS. PCGS Population: (7/453). NGC Census: (1/444). CDN: $115 Whsle. Bid for NGC/PCGS MS60. Mintage 16,395,00...
$240
1869 5C AU53 PCGS. PCGS Population: (26/565). NGC Census: (7/509). CDN: $82 Whsle. Bid for NGC/PCGS AU53. Mintage 16,395,00...
$89
1869 5c NGC XF Details (Whizzed)
$26
1869 5C Missing Leaf VF25 PCGS. PCGS Population: (2/664). NGC Census: (3/519). VF25. Mintage 16,395,000....
$576
1869 5c NGC XF40
$65
1869 5C MS67 NGC. ...
$4,465
1869 5C --Corroded-Date Damaged--ANACS.AG3 Details . NGC Census: (0/344). PCGS Population (1/349). Mintage: 16,395,000. (#3...
$11
1869 5C Poor1--Corroded, Damaged--ANACS, AG Details....
$10
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