1885 V Nickel

The 1885 V Nickel is a special coin because it has the second lowest mintage of the entire series. The 1885 V Nickel had a total mintage of just over 1.4 million coins from the Philadelphia Mint. Many of the coins in the series had over 10, 20, 30, and a couple that are just over 40 million coins struck, so a mintage under 2 million makes this coin scarce and difficult to find. It seems to max out around Mint State 64, although possible to find some in MS66 or MS67, which will command a high premium. 

 

History of the 1885 Liberty Head V Nickel

The 1885 V Nickel is a key date within the series. In the highest grades, this is a very expensive coin. Cherrypicking might not always be possible, as the coin is hard to find, but it is always worthwhile trying to find that ideal coin that meets the collectors needs and adds value to a collection. Charles E. Barber, the designer of the Barber Dime, Quarter, and Half Dollar, also designed this Liberty Head V Nickel. It gets its nickname of the V Nickel from the Roman numeral V found on the reverse of the coin. It’s surrounded by a wreath. The obverse shows the recognizable Liberty Head with her crown, surrounded by 13 stars. 

 

1885 V Nickel Value

The 1885 V Nickel value reaches upwards of $75,000 for the highest grades of the coin available. This price combined with the scarcity of the coin creates a must-have V Nickel for serious collectors. Anyone looking to add a highly popular and truly valuable gem to their V Nickel collection would be wise to seek out a beautiful example of the 1885 V Nickel. 

 

Type of coin: Nickel

Year: 1885 V Nickel

V Nickel Mint Mark: Philadelphia

Total mintage: 1,473,300

Metal content: 75% Copper, 25% Nickel

Face value: Five Cents

Weight: 5.00 grams

Edge: Plain

Designer: Charles E. Barber

Diameter: 21.20 millimeters