Obsolete US coinage that circulated in commerce
Three cent nickel Authorized for coinage in 1865 with the first coins dated 1865 and produced thru 1889.

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Coin Details

Origin/Country: United States
Design Description: THREE-CENT PIECES - COPPER-NICKEL
Item Description: 3CN 1870
Full Grade: NGC AU 58
Owner: Coinbuf

Set Details

Custom Sets: Obsolete US coinage that circulated in commerce
Competitive Sets: Coinbuf's US type   Score: 234
Coinbuf's basic type set   Score: 234
US Type Set, 1792-1964   Score: 234
Coin types when US coinage was represented by beautiful designs   Score: 234
History Spent   Score: 234
The Accident Set of Type Coins   Score: 234
Research: NGC Coin Explorer NGC Coin Price Guide
NGC US Coin Census for Nickel Three Cents (1865-1889)

Owner Comments:

This issue was meant as a replacement for the three cent silver coins, made from a composition of 75% copper and 25% nickel these were larger and thicker than the 3 cent silver coins. I imagine that made them less likely to be lost, but the use of base metals was not overly popular with the public.

This example from 1870 was about middle of the road in terms of mintage numbers at 1,335,000 coins struck that year. All three cent nickels were struck at the Philly mint facility, no branch mint strikes.

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