The 1884 Nickel Three Cent Piece (Buy on eBay) represents one of the keys to a complete collection of circulation strikes. The mintage of 1,700 pieces was the second lowest of the series behind the 1885, however the survival rate was lower for this issue.
Since very few examples of the issue were saved, gems are scarce and anything finer is a rarity. In January 2013, an example graded PCGS MS65 realized a price of $20,697.63 at auction. A few years prior in April 2011, an example graded NGC MS 66 realized a price of $29,900.
This date was also struck in proof format. The proof version of the coin had a total mintage of 3,924 pieces, more than double the business strike mintage. Needless to say, proofs of this year are common and can be acquired for significantly lower prices than the business strike version.
Coin Specifications
- Designer: James B. Longacre
- Composition: 75% Copper, 25% Nickel
- Weight: 1.94 grams
- Diameter: 17.9 mm
- Edge: Plain
