1865 Nickel Three Cent Piece
Base
About This Coin
The 1865 Nickel Three Cent Piece is a United States cent from the Nickel Three Cent Pieces 1865-1889 series — the first year of the series. In 1865, coins were struck at the Philadelphia Mint with a combined mintage of 11.4 million. This represents the highest annual mintage in the entire series, above the series median of 163,150. The obverse features Liberty facing left with a coronet inscribed LIBERTY and the reverse displays a Roman numeral III within a wreath. First year of the Nickel Three-Cent Piece, introduced during the Civil War coin shortage when silver coins had been hoarded out of circulation. Struck in 75% copper, 25% nickel, weighing 1.94 grams, 17.9 mm in diameter, with a plain edge. Collectors have identified 4 known die varieties for this date, including atypical die clash. Across its variants, estimated values range from $26 to $2.0K depending on mint mark, grade, and strike type. A notable auction result reached $20K in MS67 grade at Heritage Auctions. Designed by James Barton Longacre.
Value Estimates
Values as of May 2026 — range across all strike types, reflecting typical grades (G-4 through MS-63). Coins in lower or exceptional grades may fall outside this range.
