Nickels were first introduced by the US Mint after the Civil War and have continually been produced up until today. One of the most popular types of Nickels is one of the first editions that was ever minted, the Shield Nickel. While all editions are popular amongst collectors, the 1882 edition is a bit more sought after simply because it was one of the last Shield Nickel editions ever produced.
For collectors, it is imperative that these coins are in great condition, but the fact that they were produced well over 100 years old makes it a bit more difficult to find a well-preserved coin. Of course, if you can find one of these coins in great condition you will pay a lot more than a coin in sub-par condition.
For coins as old as the 1882 Shield Nickel, collectors are always first going to assess the condition of the coin. Keep in mind that these coins are quite old and have been circulated a good bit, so many of them will show plenty of signs of wear and tear. For serious collectors, extreme attention is paid to detail.
When you look at a coin’s condition this closely, you are doing nothing more than grading the coin. Typically, grading a coin involves sending it away in the mail to a professional service, but not everyone has the time and money to send coins away. With that said, the specifications below will help you better understand the characteristics of certain grades.
Uncirculated: In Uncirculated condition, the coin in question will show absolutely no signs of wear. These coins were not circulated at all so they were not subject to any damage, and therefore will show no damage. Even some of the mint’s original luster will have been preserved through the years.
Extremely Fine: In Extremely Fine condition the coin will show only a small amount of wear. There will be some light scratching present on one or both of the coin’s faces, but this scratching will not at all take away from the general appeal of the coin. Unfortunately, even the small amount of time these coins spent in circulation was enough to wear away the mint’s original luster.
Fine: Fine is a grade given to coins that were circulated for only a short period of time. These coins will show ample signs of wear including scratching and chipping, but the overall integrity of the coin’s faces will have been maintained. The boundaries separating the inscriptions and images from the rest of the coin will have worn away a bit, but the aforementioned images and inscriptions can still quite easily be made out.
Good: Coins in this condition are the roughest on the market and are complete with a lot of scratching and chipping. Even the images and inscriptions on these coins will have faded a bit due to heavy amounts of circulation through the years.
For coins as old as the 1882 Shield Nickel, giving the piece a price is as easy as looking at the condition the coin is in. For coins in better condition, collectors are willing to pay a lot more money than those that are not in such great condition. These coins can be affordable, but in great condition that much may not be the case.
1882 Shield Nickel
|1882||$20||$25||$65||$110||Source: Red Book|