1877 Shield Nickel Value
Today a 1877 Shield Nickel typically sells for $44.00 to $7,425, with condition doing most of the work. The figures below break the range down grade by grade.
Public domain image (struck or printed before 1926). Click to enlarge.
1877 Shield Nickel value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Good (G-4) | $44.00 to $74.50 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $64.00 to $108 |
| Fine (F-12) | $96.00 to $162 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $160 to $270 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $272 to $459 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $448 to $756 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $720 to $1,215 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $1,360 to $2,295 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $4,400 to $7,425 |
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 1877 Shield Nickel value
In worn but collectible condition (Good-4), a 1877 Shield Nickel starts around $44.00. From there, value climbs with every grade step: a gem Mint State example (MS-65) can reach $7,425. Most coins found in old collections fall somewhere between Very Fine and About Uncirculated, the middle rows of the table above.
1877 Shield Nickel specifications
- Series
- Shield Nickel
- Year
- 1877
- 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 1877 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 makes the 1877 Shield Nickel valuable
Context adds the final layer to the 1877 Shield Nickel. Longacre adapted the shield motif from his two-cent piece of 1864. 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.
For the 1877 Shield Nickel, surviving examples tell the story that mint records do not. Museum-documented specimens define the issue for collectors.
1877 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 1877 Shield Nickel specimens
1 physically measured 1877 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1877 Shield Nickel #1 | - | - | - | - |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1877 Shield Nickel is valued between $44.00 and $7,425 as of 2026-06-15. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.