USA 5 cents Union Shield No Rays 1870
USA, Philadelphia
Rarity
Extremely Rare
Attributes of Coins
| Region | USA |
|---|---|
| Denomination | 5 cents |
| Krause number | KM# 97 |
| Mintage | 1,000 |
| Metal | Copper-Nickel |
| diameter | 20.5 mm |
| weight | 5 g |
Obverse:
Weapon
Creators:
James Barton Longacre
IN GOD WE TRUST
Reverse:
Star
Creators:
James Barton Longacre
5 CENTS
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Introduction of Coins
The 1,000 figure represents the number of silver proof sets coined, though it's difficult to believe that so many complete sets were sold. It's likely that some of the silver coins were melted as unsold, while the nickel and other minor coins sold out and were actually supplemented with some additional pieces made later in the year. The actual total will likely never be known. Proofs of this date are not rare, but their quality is generally a bit lower than in earlier years. The Philadelphia Mint' proofs of the early 1870s are typified by crude, abrasive polishing of the dies that partially effaced some of the shallower design elements. In his Guide Book, Q. David Bowers observed that "flaky or imperfect planchets" are sometimes seen for this date.Read More
