1875 Nickel Three-Cent Piece. MS-66+ (PCGS). CAC.

Gorgeous satin-white surfaces are lustrous, smooth, and fully struck throughout the design. The lightest iridescent gold toning is noted. Introduced in 1865, the nickel three-cent piece was intended as a substitute for its silver counterpart, which disappeared from circulation in the East along with other silver coins early in the Civil War. Eagerly accepted at first by the contemporary public, the popularity of the nickel three-cent piece waned quickly once the nickel five-cent denomination became a reality in 1866. Whereas the Philadelphia Mint struck 11,382,000 pieces in 1865, by 1875 the mintage for circulation amounted to just 228,000 coins. Apart from an isolated increase in 1881, production would fall off even more through the series' end in 1889. The present example, one of the finer certified survivors of the circulation strike 1875, is sure to find its way into an advanced type set or specialized collection.

PCGS# 3743. NGC ID: 22NS.

Estimate: $ 2000