This listing is for one 1873 Three Cent Nickel, as pictured. Fine plus Condition.
Grade / Condition: The reverse of the coin shows more than typical detail for the wear on the obverse (front of the coin). The + was added for that reason. Strong detail on the reverse of this coin.
Fun Fact: Abraham Lincoln was sworn in for a second term as president only minutes after signing the bill authorizing the three-cent nickel.
The Three Cent Nickel was produced by the U.S. Mint from 1865 to 1889. During the years 1865 to 1873, the mint also produced a three cent silver piece as well. Because the series was only produced by the mint for a 25 year period, several of its editions may be considered rare and collectable. In fact, rare dated coins may trade for over three times the premium of common date coins.
The Three Cent Nickel was never popular as a circulation coin.
With precious metal federal coinage hoarded during the economic turmoil of the American Civil War, including the silver three-cent piece, and even the copper-nickel cent commanding a premium, Congress issued paper money in denominations as small as three cents to replace the hoarded coins in commerce. These small slips of paper became ragged and dirty, and the public came to hate "shinplasters". After the issuance in 1864 of a lighter bronze cent and a two-cent piece of that metal, both of which circulated freely, there were proposals for a three-cent piece in copper-nickel to replace the three-cent note.
The three-cent nickel piece initially circulated well, but became less popular when the five-cent nickel was introduced in 1866, a larger, more convenient coin, with a value of five cents better fitting the decimal system. After 1870, most years saw low annual mintages for the three-cent nickel, and in 1890 Congress abolished it. The last were struck in 1889; many were melted down to coin more five-cent pieces. The issue is not widely collected, and prices for rare dates remain low by the standards of American collectible coinage.
1873 Three Cent Nickel US Coin - F+ (Fine) Condition - Civil War Era - 3 Cent Coin 1873 - Open 3 Variety