Series guide · Nickels

Liberty Head “V” Nickels: How to Collect the 1883–1912 Series

The Liberty Head nickel — everyone calls it the “V nickel” for the big Roman numeral on the back — is a long, mostly Philadelphia series with a famous first-year mistake, two late mintmarks, and one legendary coin you will almost certainly never own. It's an excellent series for collectors who like a set with real circulation history behind it.

Background and design

The Liberty Head nickel replaced the Shield nickel in 1883. Chief Engraver Charles E. Barber designed it — the same Barber whose dimes, quarters and halves came along about a decade later. The obverse shows Liberty facing left, wearing a coronet inscribed LIBERTY, surrounded by thirteen stars. The reverse shows a large Roman numeral V inside a wreath, with UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and E PLURIBUS UNUM around it.

Struck

1883–1912

Designer

Charles E. Barber

Alloy

75% copper, 25% nickel

Followed by

Buffalo nickel (1913)

Because the alloy is the same copper-nickel mix used for five-cent pieces for a long time, V nickels don't have the silver-value overlay that complicates dimes and quarters of the period. What drives interest is date, condition and originality. If you're also working on the series that followed, our Buffalo nickel Type 1 vs Type 2 guide picks up the story in 1913.

The 1883 No CENTS story

The first V nickels of 1883 had only the numeral V on the reverse, with no word stating the denomination. The coin was roughly the size of the five-dollar gold piece of the time, and long-standing hobby lore says some people gold-plated them and passed them as five dollars — the origin of the nickname “racketeer nickel.” Whatever the scale of that fraud, the Mint revised the design during 1883, adding the word CENTS below the wreath and rearranging the reverse lettering.

That gives the series two 1883 types:

Both main types belong in a complete set, and most albums give each its own hole. Type collectors usually want both as well. Shopping 1883 No CENTS V nickels is a fun first purchase because the type is available in nice condition without hunting.

How the set is laid out

A standard V nickel set runs from 1883 (both types) through 1912, plus the 1912-D and 1912-S. That's a long date run, but most slots are common Philadelphia issues. A few dates in the middle 1880s are widely recognized as the series' keys — collectors most often name 1885 and 1886 — and the 1912-S is the scarce mintmarked coin. Those are the slots worth budgeting for and buying with extra care.

Rather than relying on anyone's “worth” list, check how the market actually treats the keys versus the common dates. Compare sold 1885 V nickels with sold 1905 V nickels in similar grades; the difference tells you where your budget will go.

Proofs were struck at Philadelphia for collectors throughout the series. They're usually collected separately and have mirrored fields and sharp rims.

1912 mintmarks and the 1913 problem

1912-D and 1912-S

In its final year, the series was also struck at Denver and San Francisco — the only branch-mint V nickels. The mintmark is on the reverse, to the left of the word CENTS. On worn coins the letter can be faint; use angled light and a loupe, and don't let a speck of debris decide for you. Our worn mintmark guide covers technique.

The 1913 Liberty nickel

Liberty Head nickels dated 1913 exist, but they were not an official Mint issue — the Buffalo nickel was the official 1913 design. Only a handful of 1913 Liberty nickels are known, and they are among the most famous rarities in American numismatics. For a series collector, the practical rule is simple:

Grading by the coronet

The word LIBERTY on Liberty's coronet is the classic quick-check for wear on this series, as it is on several Barber-era designs:

• Low grades: LIBERTY is partly or completely worn away; rims may merge with the lettering.
• Middle circulated grades: LIBERTY is fully readable, and some hair detail remains.
• Higher circulated grades: the hair curls and coronet edges stay sharp, and only high points show rub.

On the reverse, watch the high points of the wreath, where the leaf and grain details soften first, and the edges of the V itself. Our wear points by series article explains the general approach.

Copper-nickel coins of this era often show darkening, carbon spots, or rough surfaces from a hard life in circulation. That's normal. What you want to avoid is the opposite: an unnaturally bright, even shine on a coin with worn high points usually means it was cleaned. Read wear versus cleaning on Barber dimes — the same eye applies to V nickels — and never scrub a dark nickel to read it.

Altered dates and other traps

• Altered digits: keys like 1885 and 1886 and the 1912-S can be imitated by altering a common coin. Look for tool marks, mismatched digit shapes, or disturbed surfaces around the date or mintmark.
• Added mintmarks: a D or S applied to a 1912 Philadelphia coin. Compare position and shape with a known genuine example.
• Gold-plated coins sold as “rare”: plating doesn't make an 1883 No CENTS coin into a special Mint product.
• Holed, plugged or smoothed coins: common on 19th-century coins that were used as jewelry. Tilt the coin under one light to see filled holes.

For any key date bought raw, insist on a clear return policy. For expensive coins, certification from a major grading service is the sensible route, and our raw versus certified article explains when grading fees make sense.

Building the set

1. Buy both 1883 types first. They're easy and teach you the reverse layouts.
2. Fill the 1890s and 1900s with matched, original-looking coins. Old circulated lots are fine for this if you inspect each coin.
3. Save the keys for last, once you know what a natural, worn V nickel looks like.
4. Buy 1885, 1886 and 1912-S from sellers who accept returns, or buy them certified.

Store the set in an album with inert slides or in archival holders — see albums for vintage US sets. A basic Liberty nickel album keeps the long date run organized and shows you at a glance what's missing.