1867 Shield Nickel - With No Rays
Updated August 19, 2026
| Lot number | 60 |
| Auction | VARIETY COIN AUCTION - 8/26/26 |
| Date | August 26, 2026 at 7:05 PM CDT |
| Auction house | BIGBIDNOW |
| Location | Columbia, Missouri |
1867 Shield Nickel – With No Rays, struck at the Philadelphia Mint. This is an early issue from the Shield Nickel series and represents the redesigned reverse adopted after the 1866 With Rays type. Please review the photos for the exact condition, surfaces, strike, and overall appearance. The Shield Nickel was introduced in 1866 as 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 a large Roman numeral “V” surrounded by stars and a wreath. The With Rays design was removed after 1866 because the rays surrounding the Roman numeral made the coins difficult to strike properly. Beginning in 1867, the reverse was redesigned without the rays, creating the With No Rays type that continued through the remainder of the series. The 1867 With No Rays had a mintage of approximately 2,019,000 coins. 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.
