Shield (1866-1883)

The Shield Nickel was introduced in 1866 and was the first five-cent coin minted using a copper-nickel composition. The shield design was loosely based on the design of the two-cent piece, which was also in production at that time. However, the harder nickel planchets proved challenging for this design, resulting in poorer strike quality and numerous varieties stemming from the need for frequent die changes. By 1869, the mint had produced more than enough nickels to meet demand, and production dropped in subsequent years. Finally, in 1883, the Shield Nickel was retired and replaced by Charles Barber's Liberty Head "V" Nickel design.