USA Coin Book
Nickel · $0.05
1873 Closed 3; Open 3 Shield & Liberty Nickels
Closed 3; Open 3
Intriguing History
The Shield nickel had replaced the silver half dime in everyday use by 1873, the year the Coinage Act ended the half dime for good. Early 1873 dates used a Closed 3 whose knobs nearly touched. Chief Coiner A. Loudon Snowden complained it could be mistaken for an 8, so engravers under Chief Engraver William Barber cut an Open 3 partway through the year.
Key Features
- Closed 3: 436,050. Open 3: 4,113,950. Total: 4,550,000. All 1873 proofs are Closed 3. Source: shieldnickels.us; PCGS CoinFacts notes the Closed 3 is considerably scarcer.
Total Weight5.00 g