U.S. Liberty Head Nickel (1883-1912) // Icons of American Coinage Series // Deluxe Display Box

The Liberty Head Nickel is a vintage American coin minted from 1883 to 1913. Today, they are seldom seen in circulation but are cherished by coin collectors and enthusiasts of American history alike. Offered here is a pleasant example hand-selected by professional numismatists after screening thousands of coins for quality and eye-appeal. Each coin is housed in an airtight capsule and presented in a plush-lined box with display easel, magnetic lid, and certificate of authenticity. The coin is unconditionally guaranteed to be genuine, dated between 1883 and 1912, and will match the quality of the one shown.

The Liberty Head nickel was the second 5-cent coin to be struck in that metal, following the Shield nickels of 1866-1883. When introduced in January of 1883, the reverse featured a Roman numeral V to indicate the 5-cent denomination. The inclusion of the word “cents” was never considered necessary, as the three-cent piece had circulated uneventfully for years with only Roman numerals. It quickly became apparent, however, that the omission of “cents” was a serious issue, as many people began gold plating the new nickels and passing them as five-dollar gold pieces, which had a similar size. A famous tale was that of Jeff Tatum, a deaf-mute who was said to enter a store, purchase an item valued at 5 cents or less, and pay with a gold-plated nickel. If the clerk did not notice, he would erroneously be given $4.95 in change. It is said that such was the origin of the expression “just Joshing you!” Regardless, the U.S. Mint was particularly disturbed by the gold-plated nickels and ordered a design modification by June of 1883 to include the word cents. The Liberty nickel was produced in this fashion through 1913. Only 5 specimens are known to exist from this last year, making the 1913 nickel one of the most famous and coveted rarities in American numismatics. Indeed, one of these coins sold for over five million dollars in 2007! The coin offered here is your opportunity to own a decidedly more modest but still interesting example of this important piece of American history.