1866–1938 Shield-Liberty-Buffalo-Jefferson Nickels First-Year 4-pc Set

The First-Year Issues Of Four Different Nickel Designs!

This amazing four-piece set brings together a quartet of first-year nickels in one monumental collection. It includes:

• 1866 SHIELD NICKEL – Designed by James Longacre, the U.S. Mint’s 4th Chief Engraver and one of the most noteworthy designers of the 19th century, the Shield Nickel is the very first nickel released by the United States. But as iconic as the design has become, it was also difficult to produce, and was criticized as a “tombstone surmounted by a cross and overhung by weeping willows.” The reverse design, originally showing a “5” surrounded by rays of light, also reminded many of the “Stars and Bars” motif of the Confederacy. With that said, the original design was struck for only two years before the rays were removed to alleviate production problems, and the series itself ended after only 17 years. This coin will come in Good to Very Good (G–VG) condition.
• 1883 “NO CENT” NICKEL – While some citizens marveled at the beauty of the Liberty Nickel designed by the U.S. Mint’s 6th Chief Engraver Charles E. Barber when it was released in 1883, others saw an opportunity to make a fast buck. You see, the center of the reverse features a large “V,” the Roman numeral for five, but nowhere on the coin do the words “five cents” actually appear. As it so happened, the nickel was also close in size to the $5 gold piece, which had a similar design. This prompted quick-thinking con to plate the nickels with gold, and then pass them off as $5 gold pieces! The U.S. Mint quickly added the word “CENTS” to the coin’s reverse. Only about 25 percent of the entire first-year 1883 mintage of Liberty Nickels are of the “No Cents” variety. This coin will come in Good to Very Good (G–VG) condition.
• 1913 BUFFALO NICKEL TYPE I – The Buffalo Nickel is one of the most iconic American coins ever created. When it was first released in 1913, it showed a massive bison standing on a raised mound at the bottom of the design. Unfortunately, it was soon discovered that the mound was so high off the coin that the “FIVE CENTS” denomination soon began wearing away. And so, just a few months later, the mound disappeared off the coin creating the Type II “No Mound” variety. Designed by American sculptor James Earle Fraser, the Buffalo Nickel was issued from 1913 to 1938. It depicted a proud Native American on the obverse. The Buffalo Nickel has gone down in history as one of America’s most popular and enduring coins of all time. This coin will come in Extremely Fine (XF) condition.
• 1938 JEFFERSON NICKEL – In 1938, the United States Mint began striking a new nickel honoring Founding Father and President Thomas Jefferson. The new coin featured the bust of Jefferson on the obverse, and his home at Monticello on the reverse. For most people, the portrait of President Thomas Jefferson is the only image they’ve ever seen on a nickel. And who could blame them—the image of Jefferson as designed by Felix Schlag appeared on America’s 5-cent piece from 1938 to 2004. Jefferson’s portrait underwent a change in 2005, but it is still the portrait of this Founding Father and the author of the Declaration of Independence that remains on the nickel to this day, a run of more than 80 years for the Jefferson Nickel—and still going. This coin will come in Extremely Fine (XF) condition.

Four vintage coins, four first-year-of-issues—they’re all here in this fabulous 1866–1938 Shield-Liberty-Buffalo-Jefferson Nickels First-Year Four-Piece Set. Our supply is limited, so secure your First Year Issue Nickels Collection now!