Numismatic

1883 Liberty Head V Nickel MS-67 NGC (No Cents)

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In 1883, the United States Mint introduced a fresh look for the five cent coin, debuting the Liberty Head design. This first-year issue is particularly famous for what it lacks on the reverse. Instead of spelling out the denomination, the design simply features a large Roman numeral V. This omission created a unique moment in numismatic history, as the public quickly noticed the word cents was entirely missing from the coin. Produced at the Philadelphia Mint without a mint mark, this specific coin comes from an original mintage of 5,474,300 pieces. The obverse displays a classic profile of Liberty facing left, adorned with a coronet bearing her name, surrounded by thirteen stars and the date 1883. On the reverse, a wreath encircles the prominent Roman numeral, with the country name and the motto E PLURIBUS UNUM positioned around the rim. Surviving more than a century in an exceptional state of preservation, this specimen has been graded Mint State 67 (MS-67). At this elite grade tier, the coin retains its original luster and sharp design details just as they emerged from the coining press in 1883, making it a fascinating window into late nineteenth-century American coinage.