1885 Liberty Nickel

In 1883, the Liberty Nickel was issued for the first time. Perhaps as an oversight or error in judgment, the word CENTS was omitted. The only face value indicator was the Roman numeral "V" on the reverse. Racketeers seized on this opportunity to gold plate the V 5 cent nickel as pass them off as $5 gold. Soon thereafter, the word CENTS was added to the design.

Large numbers of the 1883 Liberty Nickel were set aside because people thought they would someday be valuable, which explains the humble price of the 1883 today. No one was paying any attention in 1885 when only 1.4 million nickels were struck, and of this small mintage, few were saved. The 1885 Liberty Nickel is rare in all grades, most notably in Uncirculated condition.



1885 Liberty Nickel

1885 Liberty Nickel obv 1885 Liberty Nickel rev
Coin Photos courtesy of Heritage Auction Galleries


1885 Liberty Nickel Price Trend Graph

1885 Liberty Nickel (VG-8 Condition)

The blue line tracks the percent change in value since Year 2000 of the 1885 Liberty Nickel in VG-8 condition, starting with a baseline score of 100. The red line operates in the same manner, graphing the progress of the Rare Coin Values Index, which represents the combined percent change in value of a group of 87 rare US coins, ranging from half cents to double eagles. The objective of the Index is to measure the strength and direction of the overall rare US coin market. Despite its solid status as a key date U.S. coin, the 1885 Liberty Nickel rates a bit below average compared to the Index. Nonetheless, this is a great coin to have, and no one should be dissuaded from adding one to their collection. The Index is updated monthly.


 

Members of the Rare Coin Values Index
Date Coin Type Grade Est. Retail Value Jan 2012
1793 Liberty Cap Left Half Cent G-4 4500
1802 2/0 Rev 1802 Draped Bust Half Cent G-4 1000
1793 Chain AMERI. Flowing Hair Large Cent G-4 12500
1794 Starred Rev Liberty Cap Large Cent G-4 17500
1799 Draped Bust Large Cent G-4 3500
1856 Flying Eagle Cent G-4 7000
1877 Indian Head Cent G-4 850
1909-S VDB Lincoln Cent G-4 750
1914-D Lincoln Cent G-4 225
1922-D (No D) Lincoln Cent G-4 700
1864 Small Motto Two Cent F-12 400
1865 Three Cent Silver PF-65 1500
1884 Three Cent Nickel F-12 650
1795 Flowing Hair Half Dime G-4 1200
1797 Draped Bust, Small Eagle Half Dime G-4 1400
1800 Draped Bust, Large Eagle Half Dime G-4 950
1865 Seated Liberty Half Dime G-4 325
1879 Shield Nickel VG-8 550
1885 Liberty Nickel VG-8 750
1913-S Type 2 Buffalo Nickel G-4 350
1918/7-D Buffalo Nickel G-4 1300
1937-D 3 Legs Buffalo Nickel G-4 625
1796 Draped Bust Dime G-4 3000
1822 Capped Bust Dime G-4 1500
1871-CC Seated Liberty Dime G-4 2000
1895-O Barber Dime G-4 375
1916-D Mercury Dime VG-8 1500
1942/1-D Mercury Dime VG-8 650
1875-CC Twenty Cent G-4 425
1796 Draped Bust, Small Eagle Quarter G-4 12500
1804 Draped Bust, Large Eagle Quarter G-4 4500
1823 Capped Bust Quarter G-4 40000
1870-CC Seated Liberty Quarter G-4 10000
1896-S Barber Quarter G-4 1000
1901-S Barber Quarter G-4 5000
1916 Standing Liberty Quarter G-4 2750
1918/7-S Standing Liberty Quarter G-4 1550
1923-S Standing Liberty Quarter G-4 300
1932-D Washington Quarter F-12 200
1794 Flowing Hair Half Dollar G-4 5000
1796 16 Stars Draped Bust Small Eagle Half Dollar G-4 35000
1815/12 Capped Bust Half Dollar G-4 1750
1836 Reed Edge Capped Bust Half Dollar G-4 1250
1870-CC Seated Liberty Half Dollar G-4 900
1892-O Barber Half Dollar G-4 300
1921-D Walking Liberty Half Dollar VG-8 450
1938-D Walking Liberty Half Dollar VG-8 100
1953-S Franklin Half Dollar MS-65 FBL 25000
1794 Flowing Hair Silver Dollar G-4 60000
1796 Draped Bust Small Eagle Silver Dollar G-4 1500
1801 Draped Bust Large Eagle Silver Dollar G-4 1250
1836 Gobrecht Dollar, Name on Base, Circ. Issue XF-40 12500
1873-CC Seated Liberty Dollar F-12 7500
1879 Trade Dollar PF-65 12750
1889-CC Morgan Silver Dollar F-12 1100
1893-S Morgan Silver Dollar F-12 4500
1895 Morgan Silver Dollar F-12 (PF Only) 35000
1928 Peace Dollar F-12 375
1849-C Cl. Wreath Type One Gold Dollar VF-20 1100
1855-D Type Two Gold Dollar VF-20 6600
1861-D Type Three Gold Dollar VF-20 8500
1796 No Stars Capped Bust $ 2.50 Quarter Eagle F-12 52500
1808 Capped Draped Bust $2.50 Quarter Eagle F-12 27500
1826 Capped Head $2.50 Quarter Eagle F-12 8450
1838-C Classic Head $2.50 Quarter Eagle F-12 1150
1848 CAL. Coronet $2.50 Quarter Eagle F-12 38500
1856-D Coronet $2.50 Quarter Eagle F-12 5000
1911-D Indian Head $2.50 Quarter Eagle XF-40 4250
1854-D Indian Head Three Dollar F-12 9250
1795 Capped Bust Small Eagle $5.00 Half Eagle F-12 20000
1800 Capped Bust Large Eagle $5.00 Half Eagle F-12 4000
1808 Capped Draped Bust $5.00 Half Eagle F-12 3250
1821 Capped Head $5.00 Half Eagle F-12 17500
1833 Large Date Capped Head $5.00 Half Eagle F-12 20000
1834 Cross 4 Classic Head $5.00 Half Eagle F-12 1950
1861-D Coronet $5.00 Half Eagle F-12 6500
1870-CC Coronet $5.00 Half Eagle F-12 5250
1909-O Indian Head $5.00 Half Eagle XF-40 4750
1795 9 Leaves Capped Bust Small Eagle $10 Eagle F-12 47500
1804 Capped Bust Large Eagle $10 Eagle F-12 22500
1841-O Coronet $10 Eagle F-12 4000
1879-CC Coronet $10 Eagle F-12 9400
1911-D Indian Head $10 Eagle XF-40 1450
1930-S Indian Head $10 Eagle XF-40 12500
1859-O Coronet $20 Double Eagle VF-20 9500
1907 Wire Rim St-Gaudens $20 Double Eagle XF-40 11000
1921 St-Gaudens $20 Double Eagle XF-40 47500


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