Years
Designer
Charles E. Barber
Composition
75% copper, 25% nickel
Diameter
21.2 mm
Mass
5 g
Thickness
1.9 mm
Edge
Plain
Mints
Philadelphia, Denver, San Francisco
Metal
Nickel
Design
Classic Liberty in a coronet; reverse a Roman V. 1883 'No CENTS' pieces were gold-plated and passed as $5, prompting CENTS to be added the same year.
History
Barber’s nickel is the coin of the 1890s — streetcars, nickelodeons, and the name itself. The 1883 racketeer nickel scandal is a staple of American folklore. Denver and San Francisco joined in 1912. Five 1913 Liberty nickels were struck under murky circumstances after the type was officially replaced; they are among the most famous U.S. coins. The 1912-S is the only remotely obtainable 'last year' branch mint issue.
Key dates
Varieties
1883-P · 1883 No CENTS
design · common
1913-P · 1913 Liberty Head
design · stopper
33 issues