1889 Liberty Head Nickel Value
Expect a 1889 Liberty Head Nickel to trade between about $0.10 and $38.00, driven almost entirely by grade. See the grade table below for exactly where your coin falls.
Public domain image (struck or printed before 1926). Click to enlarge.
1889 Liberty Head Nickel value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Good (G-4) | $0.10 to $0.15 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $0.10 to $0.20 |
| Fine (F-12) | $0.20 to $0.35 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $0.40 to $0.70 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $0.80 to $1.35 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $1.60 to $2.70 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $3.20 to $5.40 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $7.20 to $12.00 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $22.50 to $38.00 |
Estimated retail range, updated 2026-06-13. Estimates are modeled from mintage rarity and metal content, not auction records. Actual sale prices vary with certification, eye appeal and market timing.
Current 1889 Liberty Head Nickel value
In worn but collectible condition (Good-4), a 1889 Liberty Head Nickel starts around $0.10. From there, value climbs with every grade step: a gem Mint State example (MS-65) can reach $38.00. Most coins found in old collections fall somewhere between Very Fine and About Uncirculated, the middle rows of the table above.
1889 Liberty Head Nickel specifications
- Series
- Liberty Head Nickel
- Year
- 1889
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- 75% copper, 25% nickel
- Weight
- 5 g
- Diameter
- 21.2 mm
- Edge
- Plain
- Designer
- Charles E. Barber
No mint mark? Here is why
The 1889 Liberty Head Nickel was struck at the Philadelphia Mint, which used no mint mark in this era. If you find no letter where branch-mint coins carry one (On the reverse, left of CENTS at the bottom (1912-D and 1912-S only)), you are holding a Philadelphia issue.
What makes the 1889 Liberty Head Nickel valuable
The 1889 Liberty Head Nickel lacks precise production records, so its value rests on demonstrated rarity: how often examples surface at auction and how they compare to documented specimens.
Context adds the final layer to the 1889 Liberty Head Nickel. Swindlers promptly gold-plated the new coins and passed them as five-dollar pieces, forcing the Mint to add CENTS mid-year and creating the affordable, famous 'racketeer nickel' subtype. Owning this date means owning a piece of that story, and demand for the series as a whole sustains liquidity for every issue in it.
1889 Liberty Head Nickel inscriptions & design
Obverse
LIBERTY [on coronet] / (date)
Liberty bust left
Reverse
• UNITED STATES OF AMERICA • / E PLURIBUS UNUM / V / CENTS
Wreath
Measured 1889 Liberty Head Nickel specimens
2 physically measured 1889 Liberty Head Nickel examples in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 5 g, 21.2 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1889 Liberty Head Nickel #1 | - | - | - | - |
| 1889 Liberty Head Nickel #2 | - | - | - | - |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1889 Liberty Head Nickel is valued between $0.10 and $38.00 as of 2026-06-13. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.