WHY WERE 1883 NICKELS ISSUED WITHOUT CENTS?

PREV ARTICLE NEXT ARTICLE FULL ISSUE PREV FULL ISSUE

V23 2020 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 23, Number 19, May 10, 2020, Article 26

Last week Jonathan Kern asked about a story that the 1883 No Cents Nickels "were held in the treasury until 1933" and "When released in 1933 or 1934 they were an instant anomaly to the public in an era of buffalo nickels, and saved." -Editor

"There is no evidence that 1883 no-cents nickels were withheld from circulation in 1883, or issued decades later to a confused public. First issue was on February 1, 1883 total value of $5,120. Coins with “cents” added were not released until April 13. Total coinage including proofs issued in 1883 was:

Shield                       1,456,919
Liberty no cents     5,479,519
Liberty w/cents     16,032,983

"Production of Liberty nickels was so large during the first two years that by 1885 the Treasury was awash in excess coins.

"[See my Coin World article, “Why Were 1883 Nickels Issued Without Cents?” for details about unusual circumstances surrounding the new coins.]"

Roger kindly shared a copy of his article. Thanks. Here's an excerpt. To answer the question of "Why Were 1883 Nickels Issued Without Cents?", in short - because Mint Director Snowden was adamant that the Roman numeral was sufficient designation of value. Note that the three-cent nickels, issued from 1865-1889, bore only the Roman numeral III and no "cents" either. [Image from PCGS CoinFacts] -Editor

By 1881, with Snowden firmly in charge at the Philadelphia Mint and a relatively weak, inexperienced Mint Director, Horatio C. Burchard, in place at Washington headquarters, the Superintendent had opportunity to impart his personal ideas for coin design. In late 1881 he wrote to the director explaining his philosophy and designs for minor coins.

After outlining the confused history of minor coin designs and alloys, Snowden proposed a basic uniform design for 1-, 3-, and 5-cent pieces, similar to one offered in 1868.

Snowden’s basic design specifications: “The devices were to be uniform on the obverse and also uniform in character on the reverse. The obverse was to be the head of Liberty surrounded by the words “United States of America”, and on the reverse, a wreath composed of cotton, rice, tobacco, and wheat, the products of the country, surrounding the Roman numerals indicating the nominal value of the piece,” were evidently given to Engraver Charles Barber, who dutifully prepared finished designs and pattern pieces. These 1881 pattern cent, three cent and five cent pieces share Snowden’s simple design, including use of a Roman numeral as the only designation of value.

Figure 2. Snowden’s minor coin designs as sculpted by Charles Barber. These are Judd 1665, J-1668 and J-1671, top to bottom. (Illustrations courtesy Heritage Auctions HA.com.)