1878 Nickel Three Cent Piece
Base
About This Coin
The 1878 Nickel Three Cent Piece is a United States cent from the Nickel Three Cent Pieces 1865-1889 series — 14th of 25 years in the series. In 1878, coins were struck at the Philadelphia Mint with a combined mintage of 2,350. This represents the second-lowest annual mintage in the series, below the series median of 163,150. The obverse features Liberty facing left with a coronet inscribed LIBERTY and the reverse displays a Roman numeral III within a wreath. Another proof-only year, continuing the pattern of minimal collector-only production. Struck in 75% copper, 25% nickel, weighing 1.94 grams, 17.9 mm in diameter, with a plain edge. Struck one year after the 1877 key date, the lowest-mintage regular issue in the series. Estimated market value across variants is approximately $963. A notable auction result reached $11K in PR68 grade at Heritage Auctions. Designed by James Barton Longacre.
Value Estimates
Values as of May 2026 — range across all strike types, reflecting typical grades (G-4 through MS-63). Coins in lower or exceptional grades may fall outside this range.
Specifications
Strike Types & Varieties(1)
Other Base Coins in This Series
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