{"product_id":"1866-three-cent-nickel-philadelphia-mint","title":"1866 Three-Cent Nickel — Philadelphia Mint","description":"\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan\u003e1866 Three-Cent Nickel — Philadelphia Mint\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOwn a fascinating piece of 19th-century American numismatic history with this \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e1866 Three-Cent Nickel\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, struck at the Philadelphia Mint during the early Reconstruction era following the American Civil War.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIntroduced in 1865, the Three-Cent Nickel was created to help restore convenient small-denomination coinage to American commerce. During the Civil War, gold and silver coins had largely disappeared from circulation, creating a shortage of everyday change. The new copper-nickel denomination provided a practical alternative to precious-metal coinage.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDesigned by James B. Longacre, the Three-Cent Nickel was produced from 1865 through 1889 and remains a distinctive example of obsolete United States coinage.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe obverse features a left-facing portrait of Liberty wearing a coronet inscribed LIBERTY. The inscription UNITED STATES OF AMERICA surrounds the portrait, with the date 1866 positioned beneath.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe reverse displays the Roman numeral III, representing the coin's three-cent denomination, enclosed within an ornamental laurel wreath.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e1866 Three-Cent Nickel represents the second year of the series\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and was produced during a period of significant economic and political change in the United States. With more than 4.8 million examples struck for circulation, it remains a recognizable early issue of this unusual denomination.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eUnlike the earlier Three-Cent Silver Piece, the Three-Cent Nickel contains no silver. Instead, it was struck from an alloy of 75% copper and 25% nickel, providing greater durability for everyday circulation.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhether collected as part of a complete Three-Cent Nickel series, an obsolete denomination collection, or a broader United States type set, this historic 1866 issue offers an interesting connection to America's post-Civil War monetary history.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eProduct Details\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDenomination:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Three Cents ($0.03 USD)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eYear:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e 1866\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMint:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Philadelphia (No Mint Mark)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSeries:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Three-Cent Nickel (1865–1889)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIssue:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Second Year of Production\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOriginal Mintage:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e 4,801,000 business strikes\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eComposition:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e 75% Copper, 25% Nickel\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWeight:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e 1.94 grams\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDiameter:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e 17.9 mm\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDesigner:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e James B. Longacre\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eObverse:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Left-facing Liberty wearing a coronet inscribed LIBERTY\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eReverse:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Roman numeral III surrounded by a laurel wreath\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEdge:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Plain\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCondition:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e See product photographs for the exact coin offered\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eQuantity:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e One individual coin\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePlease Note:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e This listing is for one specific 1866 Three-Cent Nickel. The coin pictured is the exact coin you will receive.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Midwest Coin Exchange","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":67860454179030,"sku":null,"price":30.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/www.midwestcoinexchange.com\/products\/1866-three-cent-nickel-philadelphia-mint","provider":"Midwest Coin Exchange","version":"1.0","type":"link"}