1866 Three-Cent Nickel Proof : A Collector’s Guide

By Charles Morgan and Hubert Walker for CoinWeek Notes ….
 

According to the Red Book, the United States Mint in Philadelphia struck at least 725+ Three-Cent Nickel Proof coins in 1866. Numismatist John Dannreuther, in his United States Proof Coins: Volume II: Nickel (2023), estimates the mintage at 800.

One obverse die and two reverse dies were used to strike these Proofs. The predominant pair is JD-1, which Dannreuther asserts struck 85% of the 1866 Proofs. The JD-2 die pair, discovered by Gary Rosner, features full detail and is notable for the presence of chips in the denticles.

Some estimate that the actual mintage may have reached as high as 800 to 1,200 pieces.

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Market Data and Noteworthy Specimens

Dealer Donald E. Brigandi offered “gem Proof” examples for $195 each in the March 1965 issue of The Numismatist.

In March 2024, CACG had stickered four specimens at PR67DCAM, with none finer; as of this October update, that number has dropped to three and the company has graded one coin at PR67+DCAM. The top populations at NGC and PCGS have remained the same.

Top Population: PCGS PR67+DCAM (1, 10/2024). NGC PF68UC (1, 10/2024). CAC PR67+DCAM (0:1 stickered:graded, 10/2024).

• NGC PF68UCAM #4673533-005: Legend Rare Coin Auctions, December 12, 2019, Lot 137 – $24,675. JD-1.
• NGC PF67*UCAM #4228118-005: Stack’s Bowers, March 22, 2018, Lot 2193 – $14,400. Copper toning spot on rim above I in UNITED.
• NGC PF67*UCAM #3193201-001: Heritage Auctions, July 31, 2008, Lot 1286 – $14,950.
• PCGS PR67DCAM CAC CMQ #31090757: Stack’s Bowers, March 13, 2013, Lot 2017 – $17,625; Heritage, January 10, 2024, Lot 3223 – $6,600. No CMQ sticker; Stack’s Bowers, March 26, 2024, Lot 4043 – $9,000. Wispy gold toning throughout.
• NGC PF67UCAM #6604863-002: GreatCollections, December 3, 2023, Lot 1219476 – View.
• PCGS PR67DCAM CAC #38026717: As PCGS PR67DCAM #16545203. Legend Rare Coin Auctions, May 17, 2018, Lot 388 – $8,812.50. As PCGS PR67DCAM CAC #38026717. Legend Rare Coin Auctions, January 30, 2020, Lot 102 – $17,625; Legend Rare Coin Auctions, April 21, 2021, Lot 252 – $17,625; Legend Rare Coin Auctions, January 27, 2022, Lot 24 – $13,512.50; Legend Rare Coin Auctions, May 25, 2023, Lot 65 – $12,337.50. JD-1.
• PCGS PR67DCAM #84018496: Legend Rare Coin Auctions, October 2017, Lot 117; “The Warren Collection”, Heritage Auctions, May 5, 2022, Lot 3885 – $6,600.
• NGC PF67UCAM #1633045-004: Stack’s Bowers, February 28, 2019, Lot 1029 – $6,000.
• PCGS PR67DCAM CAC: Stack’s Bowers, March 13, 2013, Lot 2017 – $17,625. Light gold color throughout. Granularity of frost of cheek.
• PCGS PR67DCAM CAC #82161127: Legend Rare Coin Auctions, January 26, 2017, Lot 120 – $17,037.50.
• PCGS PR67DCAM CAC #81340205: Legend Rare Coin Auctions, September 29, 2016, Lot 188 – $21,737.50.
• NGC PF67UCAM #4299242-003: Heritage Auctions, January 7, 2016, Lot 4721 – $5,170.
• PCGS PR67DCAM #25209561: Heritage Auctions, April 23, 2015, Lot 4944 – $17,625.
• PCGS PF67UCAM: Bowers and Merena, December 2005, Lot 1231 – $6,325.
• NGC PF67UCAM: “The J.B. Worthington Collection”, American Numismatic Rarities, May 24, 2005, Lot 23 – $6,440.

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Coin Specifications

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Learn about the 1866 Three Cent Nickel Circulation Strike coin

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