The Civil Conflict impacted almost each facet of People’ lives. Amid the army battles, meals shortages, and financial chaos, folks hoarded any valuable metals
they might get their palms on. That included the three-cent silver piece, the smallest silver coin produced at the moment by the U.S. Mint. This created a forex scarcity for day by day commerce and commerce.
In an effort to ease the forex scarcity, the U.S. Treasury issued small-denomination paper notes, starting from three cents as much as fifty cents. These paper notes turned generally known as fractional forex. However the public distrusted and disliked paper forex.
A Mistrust of Paper Forex Opened the Door to Utilizing Nickel in Cash
In 1865, Congressman John Kasson, extensively identified for being in opposition to utilizing nickel in cash, sponsored a invoice to authorize a brand new three-cent coin fabricated from nickel and copper. The rationale Kasson modified his thoughts? He preferred fractional forex even lower than he preferred nickel cash. The invoice handed, and a brand new three-cent nickel coin was born.
The Philadelphia Mint struck nickel three-cent cash from 1865 by means of 1889. The general public immediately embraced them, discovering nickel three-cent items extraordinarily handy as a result of they may very well be used to purchase postage stamps, which value three cents on the time.
1877 Nickel Three Cent Piece: A Key Date with a Tiny Proof Solely Mintage
Collectors usually purchase the nickel three-cent piece as a sort coin. Nevertheless, throughout the sequence, there’s a outstanding and extremely fascinating proof-only mintage. In 1877, the Philadelphia Mint produced 900 proofs of the nickel three-cent piece, the bottom variety of all the sequence. Survivors are scarce.
At present, solely 350 of the 1877 key date three-cent nickels are proven in grades 65 or higher. See a prized 1877 Nickel three-piece coin right here.
Coin Design
The unique design adopted in 1865 remained unchanged for the 24 years the coin was produced. Chief Engraver James Longacre created the crisp and clear design. The obverse featured the top of Liberty going through left. She wears a beaded coronet carrying the phrase: LIBERTY. The date and UNITED STATES OF AMERICA encircle the obverse. The reverse is an impactful and easy design highlighting the Roman numeral III within the middle, surrounded by a fragile wreath.
