1877 Shield Nickel Proof
Proof struck at the Philadelphia Mint · 900 made
- Mintage
- 900
- Metal
- 75% copper, 25% nickel
- Weight
- 5 g
- Diameter
- 20.5 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 1877 Shield Nickel Proof worth?
This is one of the dates collectors hunt for. A genuine 1877 is valuable in any condition, even well worn. That's exactly why fakes and altered coins turn up so often.
What would make yours worth more:
- Grade and, for proofs, strong cameo contrast
- A die variety or minting error
- Certification by PCGS or NGC, which buyers expect for scarce dates
For market prices, check recent sold results for certified coins in the same grade.
Quick answers
- Is the 1877 Shield Nickel Proof rare?
- Fairly. The Mint made 900 for collectors. Most were kept in their original packaging.
- Is the 1877 Shield Nickel Proof 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 1877 Shield Nickel?
- No mint mark. All struck in Philadelphia.
- How many 1877 Shield Nickel proofs were made?
- 900.
What to check on your 1877
- There's no mint mark on this one, so the date and condition are what matter.
- Judge the grade under good light. Check the leaves around the shield and the horizontal lines within it. The hard alloy meant weak strikes were common, so sharpness adds value.
Proofs from 1877 were struck one at a time in small numbers and many were later spent or mishandled. Look for hairlines from cleaning, which lower the grade.
The story of the 1877
Open 3, Closed 3 and the proof only years (1873 to 1878)
The 1873 date punch first had a Closed 3 that looked too much like an 8, so it was replaced by an Open 3 during the year. Both varieties exist. The Closed 3 is scarcer and includes a doubled date. The Panic of 1873 and the lingering surplus of minor coins cut demand. Output fell from 3.5 million in 1874 to between 2 and 2.5 million in 1875 and 1876.
In 1877 and 1878 no nickels were struck for circulation. Only proofs were made, about 900 in 1877 and 2,350 in 1878, which makes these dates key coins for anyone completing the series. Lower grade examples exist because some proofs were spent. Business strikes from 1874 to 1876 are relatively scarce and are usually seen with moderate wear, often with the weak strike typical of the type.
Elsewhere in US coinage in 1877
Cent production fell sharply as the economy stayed depressed after the Panic of 1873. The 1877 Indian Head cent has the lowest Philadelphia mintage of the series and is its best-known key date.
How to recognize it
A shield topped by a cross and framed by laurel and arrows fills the obverse, with IN GOD WE TRUST above and the date below. The reverse has a large numeral 5 inside a ring of 13 stars, with UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and CENTS around it. Coins from 1866 and early 1867 also have rays between the stars. The hard nickel alloy often left dates and stars weakly struck.
Mintage chart
Specifications
| Series | Shield Nickel (1866–1883) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1877 |
| Mint | Philadelphia Mint |
| Mint mark | None |
| Strike type | Proof |
| Mintage | 900 |
| Face value | 5¢ |
| Composition | 75% copper, 25% nickel |
| Weight | 5 grams |
| Diameter | 20.5 mm |
| Edge | Plain |
| Designer | James B. Longacre |
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.