1866 Shield Nickel - With Rays
Updated August 19, 2026
| Lot number | 59 |
| Auction | VARIETY COIN AUCTION - 8/26/26 |
| Date | August 26, 2026 at 7:05 PM CDT |
| Auction house | BIGBIDNOW |
| Location | Columbia, Missouri |
1866 Shield Nickel – With Rays, struck at the Philadelphia Mint. This is the first year of the Shield Nickel series and an important early U.S. nickel issue. Please review the photos for the exact condition, surfaces, strike, and overall appearance. The Shield Nickel was introduced in 1866 and was the first U.S. five-cent coin made primarily of nickel. The obverse features a shield with the motto “IN GOD WE TRUST,” while the reverse displays the Roman numeral “V” surrounded by rays and a wreath. The 1866 With Rays issue had a mintage of 14,742,500 coins. The rays were removed from the reverse beginning in 1867 because they made the coins difficult to strike consistently. As a result, the With Rays design was limited to 1866, making this an important one-year type variety. The coin was struck in 75% copper and 25% nickel, weighs approximately 5.00 grams, and measures about 20.5 mm in diameter. Philadelphia Mint examples carry no mint mark.
