1876 Nickel Value

Mint State: A Mint State coin shows no evidence of circulation wear or handling on its surface. These coins retain their original texture and luster imparted during the minting process. Judge the grade by examining the design's high points for flattening or loss of detail.

An unworn coin exhibits a fine, texture and luster that radiates outward from the center. This delicate texture is the result of the minting process. It quickly wears and is lost once the coin enters circulation. When viewed under a single light source, intact texture creates a bright shine as light reflects off the coin's surface. The presence or absence of this original luster is a strong indicator if a coin is Mint State or a worn coin.

Helping identify an unworn surface. Examine the raised frame device surrounding the horizontal and vertical lines of the shield. High contours of the curved and rounded features remain covered in luster. Flattening, loss of detail, and loss of luster on the tops of these higher areas indicate a worn surface.

Compare the quality and luster of different areas of the coin. A consistent look remains across the entire surface. High contours of the frame match the look of lower recesses within the frame. The frame itself matches the brilliance and texture of the leaves on either side. Wear creates noticeable differences. Smooth areas, and dullness in color are traits of a worn surface.

When examining the coin under a single light, tilt the coin at various angles. Notice how the light reflects off the surface. Mint State coins display continuous luster, rotating across the surface. This light brightens both high and low areas. A worn coin loses luster intensity and when rotated, does not shine consistently.

Extremely Fine: Shield nickels exhibiting only light wear define the Extremely Fine grade. On the highest points, sharp and crisp details remain. All original design elements are intact. Leaves within the branches and a detailed shield provide key areas to measure wear. First confirm, ample detail of the original design elements is intact. Small areas of flatness at the very high points meet the grade standard.

When examining a high-quality coin, start with the leaf elements. Two olive branches display leaf clusters with both high and low relief features. These areas provide easy to gauge levels of wear. Leaves remain well-defined, with only minor wear visible. The greatest wear smooths the tip of the topmost leaf of each group. Detailed veins, stems, and a low contour, within the leaves are bold and distinct.

Note in the example image, leaf clusters on the left side appear bold when compared to the right-side leaves. Variance in strike quality across the coin is a typical feature of these older nickels. Use the better side of your coin when determining the amount of wear.

Apply the metric of wear only on high points to the shield and its border. Central horizontal and vertical lines show slight smoothing with minor faded areas. An intricate border surrounding the lines features many high, curved contours. Each high point of the border shows small areas of flattened metal due to wear. The presence of deep recesses within the border indicates the wear is minor.

No major feature merging with another feature is a strict standard for the grade. Leaves show strong edges defining each leaf. Vertical lines are separate from horizontal lines and the frame. Inspect your coin for these distinctions. A strong similarity with the image narrows condition to the Extremely Fine grade.

Fine Grade: A Fine grade Shield nickel displays moderate detail, with noticeable but balanced wear. Its general appearance shows the shield and olive branches clearly visible. All primary elements are distinct, with moderate circulation wear smoothing small areas. An inspection of key features measures specific wear amounts. Wear on the surface forms typical patterns, helping identifying the Fine grade.

First, inspect the leaves on the olive branches, particularly their edges. Most of the leaves display clear outlines. When examining the image, note the edges of the leaves, especially those on the left side, are very bold. Top most leaves are well separated from lower leaves. Judge the better side of your coin for an accurate reading of wear levels. Using this approach of grading the best side, accounts for weak strikes found on many nickels.

The amount of smoothness across the leaves also helps indicate the degree of wear. High points of the leaves, such as the tips and ridges, are the indicators. Flat areas begin at the tips of leaves and extend only half way over the leaf. Flattening is noticeable but does not dominate the surface of the coin. At the moderate wear level, many central veins and stems are visible within the leaves. Strong edges, partial smoothing of leaves and visual contours, determine the grade level.

Confirm the coin lacks large marks or nicks. Absence of visual distractions indicates a nice, collector quality Shield nickel.

Good Grade: Inspecting the overall surface of the Shield Nickel, note the heavy wear covering the entire coin. Major designs appear smooth, and finer details are missing due to extensive circulation. However, despite the wear, key features remain visible. Judging these remaining details determines the coin's condition. Compare to the image as a reference of a coin in "Good" grade.

Examine the central shield design as the first focal point. All six vertical stripes remain distinct, bold, and slightly raised. The area above the stripes is smooth, connecting with the stripes and the shield's border. This flatness indicates heavy wear and a reliable indicator of the coin's condition.

Note the smoothness within the center area extends to the very edge of the shield's border. No fine detail or raised contours remain within the border. A defined outer edge is continuous around the shield meeting the grade standard. Without raised contours within the border, this flatness confirms the condition.

Next, confirm a bold cross outline at the top of the central shield. A full outline remains complete and visible as a raised area. This additional, subtle detail supports the coin's grade. Also, a visible motto above the shield measures the extent of wear. While some detail near the rim fades, the motto remains strong in the lower half of the lettering. A readable motto "In God We Trust" is a quality required to meet the grade.

Overall eye appeal presents well on the example coin. A bold date, full outlines on primary features, and a readable motto. A nice combination of visible design features despite flattened surfaces.

Shield Nickel Value | Complete Value Chart of All Years

Complete value chart listing of Shield Nickels. Note how much an 1876 is worth in high condition compared to other dates. The important step of judging condition is further illustrated with large grading images. This approach provides a step-by-step method to an accurate reading the chart.

How to Grade Shield Nickels | Visual Guide

Judging the condition of an 1876 Shield nickel narrows the large differences in value. A range of grades are presented in the visual guide, indicating features to examine. Subtle details are highlighted for specific requirements to meet the various grades. With images to illustrate important points, arrive at a conservative judgment of condition.