1874 Shield Nickel Value
The 1874 Shield Nickel carries a current retail range of about $0.10 to $38.00 across circulated and Mint State grades. Where your coin lands depends on wear, strike and surface quality.
Public domain image (struck or printed before 1926). Click to enlarge.
1874 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.
Current 1874 Shield Nickel value
In worn but collectible condition (Good-4), a 1874 Shield 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.
1874 Shield Nickel specifications
- Series
- Shield Nickel
- Year
- 1874
- 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
Reading a coin with no mint mark
The 1874 Shield Nickel comes from Philadelphia, which struck coins without a mint mark. If the spot where branch-mint coins show a letter is empty on your 1874, that is exactly as it should be.
What makes the 1874 Shield Nickel valuable
The 1874 Shield 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.
There is history in a 1874 Shield Nickel as well. The hard nickel alloy battered the Mint's dies; cracks and cuds are so routine that specialists collect them as die varieties. That backdrop keeps the series among the most actively collected in American numismatics.
1874 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 1874 Shield Nickel specimens
1 physically measured 1874 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1874 Shield Nickel #1 | - | - | - | - |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1874 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.