Saturday 19th May 2012

Overview of U.S. Five Cent

5 Cent Nickel

During the war the federal government issued series after series of fractional currency, "shinplasters" as they were known. They were despised by the public. However, the civilian population refused to give up their hording behavior they had acquired during the civil war. Citizens continued to hoard coins that contained precious metal, even copper-nickel cents was held for their limited value. Dispite the pressure from a powerful lobby advocating the use of Nickel in U.S. coins, Mint Director Pollock had been an opponent of nickel coinage for some time. Nickel was difficult to strike; it was hard, brittle and often broke the dies which could cause serious injury to the Mint’s machinery.

The return of silver or gold coins to circulation was slow. When in 1865 another five-cent issue of fractional currency was issued, Pollock decided it was in the nations best interest to produce a five-cent coin made of nickel. Pollock looked at the nickel five-cent piece as a temporary coin that would circulate and replace the universally unpopular fractional notes until such a time as the silver half-dime could return to circulation.

• Shield
• Type 1 (1866-1883)
• Type 2 (1867)
• Liberty Head
• Type 1 (1883)
• Type 2 (1883-1912)
• Indian Head
• Type 1 (1913)
• Type 2 (1913-1938)
• Jefferson Bust
• Type 1 Original Design (1938-1942), and (1945-2003)
• Type 2 Silver Alloy (1942-1945)
• Type 3 Peace Medal (2004)
• Type 4 Keelboat (2004)
• Type 5 American Bison (2005)
• Type 6 Ocean in View (2005)
• Type 7 Monticello (2006 - )