1878 Shield Nickel Value
A 1878 Shield Nickel is worth roughly $44.00 to $7,425 depending on its condition. Certified examples in top grades can run far higher.
Public domain image (struck or printed before 1926). Click to enlarge.
1878 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.
How much is a 1878 Shield Nickel worth today?
A 1878 Shield Nickel that spent decades in circulation is worth about $44.00 today. One that never circulated at all can bring up to $7,425. The honest answer for most inherited or pocket-found examples sits in the lower half of the table.
1878 Shield Nickel specifications
- Series
- Shield Nickel
- Year
- 1878
- 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 1878 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.
Why the 1878 Shield Nickel is worth money
Documented examples of the 1878 Shield Nickel in our reference database anchor what we know about this issue. Mintage records are incomplete, so collector demand and surviving population drive its market.
There is history in a 1878 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.
1878 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 1878 Shield Nickel specimens
1 physically measured 1878 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1878 Shield Nickel #1 | - | - | - | - |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1878 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.