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Greysheet & CPG® PRICE GUIDE

About This Series

The Greysheet Catalog (GSID) of the Shield Nickels, Proof (1866–1883) series of Nickels in the U.S. Coins contains 64 distinct entries with CPG® values between $245.00 and $86,000.00.
Proof versions of the Shield nickel were struck during every year of the series run from 1866 through 1883. The Shield nickel, designed by James B. Longacre, became America?s first copper-nickel five-cent coin and is the forerunner of the nickel that we use today in commerce.

Proof Shield nickels are generally scarce, with between 600 and 3,000 pieces struck during any given year, with a few exceptions. On the high end of proof production is the 1883 proof Shield nickel, with 5,419 specimens struck. On the low side is the 1867 Rays proof Shield nickel, which saw a mintage of merely 25 pieces.

There are a few interesting notes about proof Shield nickels. The extraordinarily scarce 1867 Without Rays Pattern Reverse Shield nickel is one of the most challenging issues. The 1877 and 1878 are proof-only dates for the Shield nickel and thus trade at much higher levels due to pressure from date-set collectors. Also of note is the scarce 1879/8 proof overdate, though estimates by Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) suggest this variety is probably about as common, or only a little less so, than the so-called normal date.

Catalog Detail

  Shield Nickels, Proof (1866–1883) Value Range Favorite
Shield Nickels, Proof (1866–1883) Value Range  
Shield Nickel 5c Rays, 1866-1867 PR Type Coin
$1,200
-
$15,000
$1,200 - $15,000
Shield Nickel 5c Rays, 1866-1867 PR CAM Type Coin
$1,450
-
$18,000
$1,450 - $18,000
Shield Nickel 5c Rays, 1866-1867 PR DCAM Type Coin
$8,250
-
$48,000
$8,250 - $48,000
Shield Nickel 5c No Rays, 1867-1883 PR Type Coin
$245.00
-
$8,250
$245.00 - $8,250
Shield Nickel 5c No Rays, 1867-1883 PR CAM Type Coin
$400
-
$11,500
$400 - $11,500
Shield Nickel 5c No Rays, 1867-1883 PR DCAM Type Coin
$950
-
$17,500
$950 - $17,500
1866 5c Rays PR
$1,200
-
$15,000
$1,200 - $15,000
1866 5c Rays PR CAM
$1,450
-
$18,000
$1,450 - $18,000
1866 5c Rays PR DCAM
$8,250
-
$48,000
$8,250 - $48,000
1867 5c Rays PR
$21,500
-
$60,000
$21,500 - $60,000
1867 5c Rays PR CAM
$38,500
-
$82,000
$38,500 - $82,000
1867 5c No Rays PR
$245.00
-
$2,250
$245.00 - $2,250
1867 5c No Rays PR CAM
$725
-
$6,000
$725 - $6,000
1867 5c No Rays PR DCAM
$2,400
-
$20,000
$2,400 - $20,000
1867 5c No Rays, Pattern Reverse PR
$2,250
-
$16,000
$2,250 - $16,000
1867 5c No Rays, Pattern Reverse PR CAM
$5,000
-
$19,000
$5,000 - $19,000
1868 5c PR
$245.00
-
$4,400
$245.00 - $4,400
1868 5c PR CAM
$650
-
$5,250
$650 - $5,250
1868 5c PR DCAM
$6,250
-
$8,250
$6,250 - $8,250
1869 5c PR
$245.00
-
$4,950
$245.00 - $4,950
1869 5c PR CAM
$485
-
$14,000
$485 - $14,000

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1870 5c PR
$245.00
-
$1,350
$245.00 - $1,350
1870 5c PR CAM
$400
-
$14,500
$400 - $14,500
1871 5c PR
$245.00
-
$6,750
$245.00 - $6,750
1871 5c PR CAM
$400
-
$7,500
$400 - $7,500
1871 5c PR DCAM
$7,000
-
$38,500
$7,000 - $38,500
1872 5c PR
$245.00
-
$4,500
$245.00 - $4,500
1872 5c PR CAM
$400
-
$4,950
$400 - $4,950
1872 5c PR DCAM
$5,750
-
$19,000
$5,750 - $19,000
1873 5c Closed 3 PR
$245.00
-
$3,600
$245.00 - $3,600
1873 5c Closed 3 PR CAM
$435
-
$8,250
$435 - $8,250
1874 5c PR
$245.00
-
$3,900
$245.00 - $3,900
1874 5c PR CAM
$440
-
$4,500
$440 - $4,500
1874 5c PR DCAM
$6,250
-
$7,500
$6,250 - $7,500
1875 5c PR
$275
-
$6,750
$275 - $6,750
1875 5c PR CAM
$460
-
$13,000
$460 - $13,000
1876 5c PR
$245.00
-
$3,300
$245.00 - $3,300
1876 5c PR CAM
$400
-
$3,650
$400 - $3,650
1876 5c PR DCAM
$3,750
-
$17,500
$3,750 - $17,500
1877 5c PR
$1,550
-
$9,500
$1,550 - $9,500
1877 5c PR CAM
$3,300
-
$11,500
$3,300 - $11,500
1877 5c PR DCAM
$4,400
-
$13,000
$4,400 - $13,000
1878 5c PR
$775
-
$2,100
$775 - $2,100
1878 5c PR CAM
$1,300
-
$2,100
$1,300 - $2,100
1878 5c PR DCAM
$3,750
-
$30,000
$3,750 - $30,000
1879 5c PR
$245.00
-
$8,250
$245.00 - $8,250
1879 5c PR CAM
$470
-
$3,600
$470 - $3,600
1879 5c PR DCAM
$5,500
-
$7,000
$5,500 - $7,000
1879/8 5c PR
$370
-
$9,750
$370 - $9,750
1879/8 5c PR CAM
$500
-
$3,300
$500 - $3,300
1879/8 5c PR DCAM
-
 
1880 5c PR
$245.00
-
$1,450
$245.00 - $1,450
1880 5c PR CAM
$400
-
$1,900
$400 - $1,900
1880 5c PR DCAM
$2,500
-
$4,500
$2,500 - $4,500
1881 5c PR
$245.00
-
$1,450
$245.00 - $1,450
1881 5c PR CAM
$400
-
$1,900
$400 - $1,900
1881 5c PR DCAM
$2,000
-
$10,500
$2,000 - $10,500
1882 5c PR
$245.00
-
$8,250
$245.00 - $8,250
1882 5c PR CAM
$400
-
$1,900
$400 - $1,900
1882 5c PR DCAM
$950
-
$10,500
$950 - $10,500
1883 5c Shield PR
$245.00
-
$8,250
$245.00 - $8,250
1883 5c Shield PR CAM
$400
-
$1,900
$400 - $1,900
1883 5c Shield PR DCAM
$3,750
-
$4,500
$3,750 - $4,500

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Shield Nickel Set 5c 20 Coins PR Set Total
$30,000
-
$86,000
$30,000 - $86,000
       

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Greysheet Catalog Details

The Greysheet Catalog (GSID) of the Shield Nickels, Proof (1866–1883) series of Nickels in the U.S. Coins contains 64 distinct entries with CPG® values between $245.00 and $86,000.00.
Proof versions of the Shield nickel were struck during every year of the series run from 1866 through 1883. The Shield nickel, designed by James B. Longacre, became America?s first copper-nickel five-cent coin and is the forerunner of the nickel that we use today in commerce.

Proof Shield nickels are generally scarce, with between 600 and 3,000 pieces struck during any given year, with a few exceptions. On the high end of proof production is the 1883 proof Shield nickel, with 5,419 specimens struck. On the low side is the 1867 Rays proof Shield nickel, which saw a mintage of merely 25 pieces.

There are a few interesting notes about proof Shield nickels. The extraordinarily scarce 1867 Without Rays Pattern Reverse Shield nickel is one of the most challenging issues. The 1877 and 1878 are proof-only dates for the Shield nickel and thus trade at much higher levels due to pressure from date-set collectors. Also of note is the scarce 1879/8 proof overdate, though estimates by Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) suggest this variety is probably about as common, or only a little less so, than the so-called normal date.

Catalog Detail