1872 Shield Nickel Value
A 1872 Shield Nickel is worth roughly $0.10 to $38.00 depending on its condition. Certified examples in top grades can run far higher.
Public domain image (struck or printed before 1926). Click to enlarge.
1872 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.
How much is a 1872 Shield Nickel worth today?
At the entry level, well-worn examples bring about $0.10. The same coin in gem uncirculated condition is a $38.00 coin. Grade is everything: two examples of the 1872 Shield Nickel can differ in price by an order of magnitude based purely on preservation.
1872 Shield Nickel specifications
- Series
- Shield Nickel
- Year
- 1872
- 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 1872 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.
Where this coin's value comes from
Official mintage figures for the 1872 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.
Context adds the final layer to the 1872 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. 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.
1872 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
Measured 1872 Shield Nickel specimens
1 physically measured 1872 Shield Nickel example 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1872 Shield Nickel #1 | - | - | - | - |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1872 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.