The Liberty Head Nickel (or simply Liberty Nickel), sometimes referred to as the V Nickel because of its reverse design, is an American five-cent piece (abbreviated as 5¢). It was struck for circulation from 1883 until 1912, with at least five pieces being surreptitiously struck dated 1913. The obverse features a left-facing image of the goddess of Liberty. The alloy is the same as modern nickels, 75% copper and 25% nickel.
The original copper-nickel five-cent piece, the Shield Nickel, had long-standing production problems, and in the early 1880s the United States Mint was looking to replace it. Mint Chief Engraver Charles E. Barber was instructed to prepare designs for proposed one-, three-, and five-cent pieces, which were to bear similar designs. Only the new five-cent piece was approved, and went into production in 1883. For almost thirty years large quantities of coin of this design were produced to meet commercial demand, especially as coin-operated machines became increasingly popular.
Beginning in 1911, the Mint began work to replace the Liberty Head design, and a new design, which became known as the Buffalo Nickel, went into production in February 1913.
These coins have not been recalled and are still current, although they do not circulate any more - most having been worn out, lost or hoarded by collectors.
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| Obverse | |
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The obverse of the coin shows, within a denticled (toothed) border, the classic head of Liberty, facing left, with long hair tied back in a bun.
She wears a coronet or diadem, on which the inscription LIBERTY is incuse. Above that, she has a wreath of wheat and grape leaves.
All around, thirteen six-pointed stars represent the first thirteen states that formed the United States.
Below, the date of issue: 1883. |
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| Reverse | |
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At centre, surrounded by a wreath of wheat, cotton and corn, a large Latin numeral V (5) for the value. Around below, the denomination CENTS.
Around above the wreath, the motto E PLURIBUS UNUM (from Latin: "Out of many, one" ).
Around above, the legend · UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ·.
During the first part of the year, coins were struck without the word "CENTS" on the reverse; the motto "E PLURIBUS UNUM" was below the value instead. However, some crooks gilded the coins with gold and passed them as five dollars, so the design was subsequently changed. |
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| Notes | Mintage comprised of:
- version with no "CENTS" on reverse: 5,474,300 circulation coins and 5,219 proofs
- version with "CENTS" on reverse: 16,026,200 circulation coins and 6,783 proofs
Note that contemporary "fake five dollars" were created by making a milled edge (in order to resemble other gold dollars) and gold-plating a five-cent coin which had just been released ans was not yet popular. What this means in practice is that the coins were in near-mint state at the time. Many sellers now repeat the operation on worn-out, plain-edge coins in order to pass them as contemporary fakes (i.e., these are fakes of a fake). |
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