1872 Shield Nickel — No Rays — About Good (AG)
A historic 1872 U.S. Shield Nickel, also known as the Union Shield Nickel, struck at the Philadelphia Mint. The obverse features a shield with the motto “IN GOD WE TRUST,” while the reverse displays a large “5 CENTS” surrounded by 13 stars.
This example is graded About Good (AG), showing heavy circulation wear and significant loss of detail. The large “5” and other lettering are very worn and only partially readable, consistent with the coin's heavily circulated condition. The date 1872 remains identifiable.
The 1872 Shield Nickel is the No Rays variety, as the rays surrounding the denomination were removed from the design after 1867. With a mintage of only 6,036,000, the 1872 issue is a desirable date for collectors of early U.S. nickels.
Details:
- Year: 1872
- Denomination: Five Cents
- Type: Shield Nickel / Union Shield Nickel
- Variety: No Rays
- Mint: Philadelphia
- Mint Mark: None
- Designer: James B. Longacre
- Composition: 75% Copper, 25% Nickel
- Weight: 5.00 grams
- Diameter: 20.5 mm
- Condition: About Good (AG)
- Mintage: 6,036,000
