Counterfeit Detection: 1879 Shield Nickel

NGC - This poor imitation of a key-date nickel has numerous problems, including its year.

The 1879 Shield nickel is one of the key dates for this short-lived series that followed the Civil War. Price guides suggest Mint State examples should be worth well over $1,000. Shield nickels were notoriously poorly struck as their hard composition of 75% copper and 25% nickel was not kind to the US Mint's machinery.


Genuine 1879 Shield nickel graded NGC MS 63

The NGC grading team recently received a purported example of an 1879 Shield nickel that appears to have been frustrating for whoever struck it. Both sides of the fake coin show plenty of problems that resulted from a weak strike and poor details on the die.


Counterfeit 1879 Shield Nickel

The date looks particularly messy and wobbly, especially when compared to the genuine article. Even if the counterfeiter had done a better job with the date, the area surrounding it is covered in spikes. These "tool marks" are evidence that the fake coin had a significant problem in this area that required extra work on the part of the counterfeiter.


Close-up view of date on genuine (left) and counterfeit (right)

Read the Entire Article

Read More: Counterfeit Detection Series

Check out certified shield nickels on ebay.