1867 Shield Nickel Value
A 1867 Shield Nickel is worth roughly $0.10 to $38.00 depending on its condition. Exceptional, certified pieces regularly exceed the top of that range.
Public domain image (struck or printed before 1926). Click to enlarge.
1867 Shield 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 2026-06-15. Estimates are modeled from mintage rarity and metal content, not auction records. Actual sale prices vary with certification, eye appeal and market timing.
What is a 1867 Shield Nickel worth right now?
A 1867 Shield Nickel that spent decades in circulation is worth about $0.10 today. One that never circulated at all can bring up to $38.00. The honest answer for most inherited or pocket-found examples sits in the lower half of the table.
1867 Shield Nickel specifications
- Series
- Shield Nickel
- Year
- 1867
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- 75% copper, 25% nickel
- Weight
- 5 g
- Diameter
- 20.5 mm
- Edge
- Plain
- Designer
- James Barton Longacre
Why this coin has no mint mark
The 1867 Shield 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 (None, all Shield nickels were struck at Philadelphia), you are holding a Philadelphia issue.
What collectors pay for in a 1867 Shield Nickel
Official mintage figures for the 1867 Shield Nickel are not well established. The museum-documented specimens behind our specifications provide the physical reference points for the issue, and the market prices it on observed scarcity.
Few series carry the following that supports the 1867 Shield Nickel. Low-mintage proof-only and near-proof-only dates of the late 1870s, particularly the 1877 and 1878, anchor the series for advanced collectors. A coin that thousands of collectors are actively assembling into sets never lacks for a market.
1867 Shield Nickel inscriptions & design
Obverse
IN GOD WE TRUST / (date)
Shield draped with laurel wreath
Reverse
• UNITED STATES OF AMERICA • / 5 / CENTS
Value within stars and rays
Measured 1867 Shield Nickel specimens
12 physically measured 1867 Shield Nickel examples in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 5 g, 20.5 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1867 Shield Nickel #1 | - | - | - | - |
| 1867 Shield Nickel #2 | - | - | - | - |
| 1867 Shield Nickel #3 | - | - | - | - |
| 1867 Shield Nickel #4 | - | - | - | - |
| 1867 Shield Nickel #5 | - | - | - | Breen.2417 |
| 1867 Shield Nickel #6 | 4.14 g | - | 6 h | - |
| 1867 Shield Nickel #7 | 4.166 g | - | 6 h | - |
| 1867 Shield Nickel #8 | 4.246 g | - | 6 h | - |
| 1867 Shield Nickel #9 | 4.058 g | - | 6 h | - |
| 1867 Shield Nickel #10 | 4.739 g | - | 6 h | - |
| 1867 Shield Nickel #11 | 5.038 g | - | 6 h | - |
| 1867 Shield Nickel #12 | 4.601 g | - | 5 h | - |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1867 Shield Nickel is valued between $0.10 and $38.00 as of 2026-06-15. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.