1870 Shield Nickel
Updated August 19, 2026
| Lot number | 62 |
| Auction | VARIETY COIN AUCTION - 8/26/26 |
| Date | August 26, 2026 at 7:05 PM CDT |
| Auction house | BIGBIDNOW |
| Location | Columbia, Missouri |
1870 Shield Nickel, struck at the Philadelphia Mint. This early issue from the Shield Nickel series features the With No Rays reverse and represents the beginning of a lower-mintage group of Shield Nickels from the 1870s. 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 Rays were removed from the reverse after the early issues because they made the coins more difficult to strike consistently. The 1870 issue had a mintage of 4,806,000 coins, substantially lower than the 1867-1869 issues. PCGS notes that 1870 begins a group of more difficult Shield Nickels from 1870-1876, particularly in higher Mint State grades.
