1883 Liberty Head "V" Nickel
Circulation strike struck at the Philadelphia Mint · 5,479,519 made
- Mintage
- 5,479,519 (includes proofs)
- Metal
- 75% copper, 25% nickel
- Weight
- 5 g
- Diameter
- 21.2 mm
Original illustration. Tap to flip. Not a photograph of the actual coin.
Face value · Metal value · Small premium · Collector premium · Significant rarity. We use bands because prices change daily.
What is an 1883 Liberty Head "V" Nickel worth?
Age alone gives this coin a small premium, even worn. Sharp details and original surfaces push it higher.
What would make yours worth more:
- Uncirculated condition with full original luster
- A die variety or minting error
For market prices, check recent sold results for certified coins in the same grade.
Quick answers
- Is the 1883 Liberty Head "V" Nickel rare?
- No. 5.5 million were made, a typical run for the series. Condition and varieties decide its value, not the date.
- Is the 1883 Liberty Head "V" Nickel silver?
- No. It's 75% copper, 25% nickel. The only silver nickels are the 1942 to 1945 wartime coins with a large mint mark above Monticello.
- Where is the mint mark on an 1883 Liberty Head "V" Nickel?
- No mint mark. Philadelphia only.
- Which Philadelphia dates near 1883 are scarcer?
- The 1885 at 1,476,490, the 1886 at 3,330,290. So the 1883 is on the scarcer side for those years.
- How many 1883 Liberty Head "V" Nickel coins were made?
- 5,479,519.
What to check on your 1883
- There's no mint mark on this one, so the date and condition are what matter.
- Old coins pick up damage over a long life. Look for holes, bends, scratches or signs of cleaning before you judge the grade, because a damaged coin sells for a fraction of a problem-free one.
- Judge the grade under good light. Look at LIBERTY on the coronet, the hair curls and the corn ears in the wreath. Full LIBERTY is a key threshold for Fine and better.
The story of the 1883
1883 was the first year of the Liberty Head "V" Nickel. Philadelphia struck 5,479,519 of them. The next year it made 16 million (1883).
1883 came to 16 million, so neither mint's 1883 coin is much scarcer than the other.
Philadelphia struck the Liberty Head "V" Nickel in 32 issues between 1883 and 1913. By mintage this one lands in the scarcer half, while the key for that mint is the 1913 (5). Within the 1880s it's 3rd smallest of 8, between the 1886 (3.3 million) and the 1888 (11 million).
No CENTS, racketeers and two low mintage keys (1883 to 1886)
Charles Barber's Liberty Head nickel replaced the Shield design in 1883. The first reverse showed only a Roman numeral V with no word CENTS. Some people gold plated these coins and passed them as five dollar gold pieces, earning them the name racketeer nickels. Within a few months the Mint added CENTS below the wreath and moved E PLURIBUS UNUM above it.
Many No CENTS nickels were saved as novelties, so they are common in high grades, while 16 million With CENTS coins followed. Output fell sharply in 1885 and 1886 as demand weakened, with only 1.5 million in 1885 and 3.3 million in 1886, making them the key dates of the series. Both are usually found worn to Good or Very Good. Gold plated 1883 No CENTS nickels are period novelties rather than Mint errors.
Elsewhere in US coinage in 1883
Charles Barber's Liberty Head nickel replaced the Shield nickel. The first version had only a "V" on the reverse without the word "CENTS" and some people gold-plated them to pass as $5 coins, so "CENTS" was added within months.
How to recognize it
Liberty faces left wearing a coronet inscribed LIBERTY, with 13 stars around her and the date below. The reverse has a large Roman numeral V inside a wreath with UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and E PLURIBUS UNUM. The word CENTS was added below the wreath partway through 1883. Mint marks, used only on the 1912-D and 1912-S, are on the reverse to the left of CENTS.
Mintage chart
Specifications
| Series | Liberty Head "V" Nickel (1883–1913) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1883 |
| Mint | Philadelphia Mint |
| Mint mark | None |
| Strike type | Circulation strike |
| Mintage | 5,479,519 (includes proofs) |
| Face value | 5¢ |
| Composition | 75% copper, 25% nickel |
| Weight | 5 grams |
| Diameter | 21.2 mm |
| Edge | Plain |
| Designer | Charles E. Barber |
Other 1883 Liberty Head "V" Nickel issues
| Coin | Mintage | Type | Silver |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1883 Liberty Head "V" Nickel | 5,479,519 | Circulation strike | – |
| 1883 Liberty Head "V" Nickel (With "CENTS" on reverse) | 16,032,983 | Circulation strike | – |
Mintage: United States nickel mintage figures (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0), compiled from US Mint records and the Guide Book of United States Coins. How we build these pages.