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1866 Shield 5C Rays PCGS PF65 CAM

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / US Coins Start Price:1,750.00 USD Estimated At:3,500.00 - 4,500.00 USD
1866 Shield 5C Rays PCGS PF65 CAM
There was a great drive in the country after the Civil War to introduce the metric system, and Joseph Wharton's new nickel alloy coin seemed to fit in well with that concept. Mint Director Pollock determined that the design of the new five-cent piece should reflect the highest artistry possible and reflect well on the government. To this end, Chief Engraver James Longacre prepared a number of pattern dies illustrating different ideas. Pollock chose this now familiar and cherished shield motif.

Blazing mirror surfaces and frosty motifs display bright luster and a nuance of faint nickel gray patina. A sharply struck gem, a coin that displays wide-ranging interest from type set buyers, rarities collectors, and collectors of nickel five-cent pieces. From a Proof mintage for the date of "200+" according to the Guide Book, the 1866 Proof is a rare issue by any standards.
(#83817)