The coin known popularly as the
“Nickel,” first appeared in 1866. The term “Nickel” refers to
the main component of the alloy used to strike the coin and was meant to
differentiate the new coin from another of the same denomination that
circulated at the same time -- the Half Dime made of silver. Despite the
fact that other coins were (and are still being) made primarily of
Nickel, the term stuck in reference to the Five Cents piece
Today,
everyone knows that a Nickel is worth Five Cents. On the other hand, if
you asked most people in the general public to name the metal used to
make a Nickel, they could not or they would come up with something other than
the obvious answer!
Nickel is a very hard metal that
created considerable problems for the coiners. Die life shortened as the
dies broke and cracked against the stubborn metal. One result was that,
in 1867, the coiner resisted making Proof “Nickels” for fear of
breaking the dies (this resistance was later overcome). Eventually,
adjustments were made and Nickel became and integral and important part
of our coinage.
The first “Nickels” were the Shield
Nickels minted from 1866 to 1883. Rarities in this series include the
1866 Proof and the 1867 “With Rays” Proofs. Numerous, interesting
varieties exist, including 1879/8 and 1883/2 overdates. Only Proof
versions of the Nickel were made in 1878 and 1879.
In 1883, the Liberty Nickel was
introduced. The earliest versions were produced without the words
“Five Cents” on the reverse. Enterprising individuals took advantage
of this omission by gold-plating the coins, reeding the edges, and
passing the coins off as some new $5 Half Eagle. The Mint quickly
remedied the situation by adding “Five Cents” to the back of the
coin later in 1883. Key dates in the “Liberty Nickel” series include
the 1885, 1886, and 1912-S. A mere five 1913 Liberty Nickels are known,
but these are believed to have been produced clandestinely at the Mint.
In 1913, the “Buffalo” or “Indian
Head” Nickel was introduced. The purely American design featured the
head of an Indian Chief on the obverse and an American bison on the
reverse. The earliest versions had the words “FIVE CENTS” on a
raised mound at the base of the reverse. Mint officials feared that the
words would wear off the coin too easily, so the later versions of the
1913 Nickel have the words “Five Cents” in a recessed area. Key
dates in the series include 1913-S Type 2, the 1914/3 overdate, the
1918/7-D overdate and the 1937-D “Three Legged.”
