1882 Shield Nickel Value
Depending on how well it survived, a 1882 Shield Nickel brings anywhere from $0.10 to $38.00. Certified examples in top grades can run far higher.
Public domain image (struck or printed before 1926). Click to enlarge.
1882 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 1882 Shield Nickel worth today?
Figure roughly $0.10 as the realistic floor for a damage-free, well-worn 1882 Shield Nickel, rising steadily through the grades to about $38.00 for a certified gem. Cleaned or damaged coins trade below these figures.
1882 Shield Nickel specifications
- Series
- Shield Nickel
- Year
- 1882
- 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 1882 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 1882 Shield Nickel valuable
Documented examples of the 1882 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.
The series itself does some of the lifting for the 1882 Shield Nickel: America's first five-cent nickel piece was born of the Civil War, when silver half dimes vanished into hoards and the Mint needed a base-metal substitute the public would accept. Broad, multigenerational demand for the design gives every date, including this one, a deep and liquid market.
1882 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 1882 Shield Nickel specimens
3 physically measured 1882 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1882 Shield Nickel #1 | - | - | - | - |
| 1882 Shield Nickel #2 | - | - | - | - |
| 1882 Shield Nickel #3 | - | - | - | - |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1882 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.