The 1885 Nickel Three Cent Piece (Buy on eBay) recorded the lowest mintage of the series at a scant 1,000 pieces. Along with 1884, this issue ranks as one of the key dates for a complete series of circulation strike coins.
Despite the lower mintage, the 1885 issue has a larger number of surviving examples graded gem and finer. One or more such examples typically are offered at auction each year. An example graded PCGS MS65 recently sold at auction in January 2017 for $11,456.25. In June 2016, an example graded PCGS MS66 with CAC verification realized a price of $16,450.
This date was also struck in proof version with a mintage of 3,790 pieces. This makes the proof version much more widely available and at lower prices.
Coin Specifications
- Designer: James B. Longacre
- Composition: 75% Copper, 25% Nickel
- Weight: 1.94 grams
- Diameter: 17.9 mm
- Edge: Plain
