Liberty V Nickels

The Liberty Head nickel, sometimes known as the V nickel because of its reverse design, was struck for circulation from 1883 until 1912, with at least five pieces being struck dated 1913 and very rare.

The previous five-cent piece, the Shield nickel, had longstanding production problems, and in the early 1880s, the United States Mint was looking to replace it. US Mint engravers were instructed to prepare designs for proposed one-, three-, and five-cent pieces, which were to bear similar designs. Only the new five cent coin was approved, and went into production in 1883. For nearly thirty years enormous quantities of this coin design were produced to meet popular demand.

Beginning in 1911, the Mint began work on a new design, which became known as the Buffalo nickel and went into production in February 1913. Although no 1913 V Nickels were officially struck according to the Mint, five are known to exist with one selling in 2010 for over three million dollars.