Liberty Head nickel
The Liberty Head nickel, also called the V nickel, is a U.S. five-cent coin. It was minted for circulation from 1883 to 1912, with five 1913 pieces known to exist. The obverse shows Liberty facing left, wearing a coronet and a wreath, designed by Charles Barber. The reverse features a large Roman numeral V inside a wreath, indicating the 5-cent denomination.
Specifications: 75% copper and 25% nickel, weighing 5.0 g, with a diameter of 21.21 mm. The edge is plain. Mint marks appear as D or S only in 1912; Philadelphia-minted coins have no mint mark.
Why it was made: The Shield nickel (the previous five-cent piece) had production problems. Barber’s new design for a copper-nickel five-cent coin went into production in 1883. The coin’s size and simple, durable design helped it circulate widely, especially as coin-operated machines became popular.
History and notable facts: For many years, large numbers were struck to meet demand, with production peaking in the 1880s and 1890s. In 1911, work began to replace the Liberty Head with a new design, and the Buffalo nickel started production in 1913. Although no official 1913 Liberty Head nickels were struck, five examples are known to exist, making them extremely valuable to collectors.
Other points: Early in its history, a pattern with “In God We Trust” added to the reverse was experimented with. There was also a famous “Blind Man’s nickel” pattern with notches in the rim that was never adopted. The 1912-S nickel is the rarest regular issue, with about 238,000 struck. Modern sales of the 1913 nickels have reached millions of dollars, underscoring how famous and sought-after they are in numismatics.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 08:29 (CET).