One company than contributed to the lobbying of congress was the Scoville Manufacturing which provided nickel planchets to the mint in the 1860's. James B. Longacre designed the 3-cent nickel, which has a plain edge. The obverse of the 3-cent nickel portrays Liberty facing left. The nickel coinage circulated despite the lack of specie payment because it was not a specie coin. The 3-cent nickel is exactly the same diameter as a dime, 17.9 mm, which caused it to be confusing and unpopular.
Nickel looks like silver, thus is readily acceptable, while holding far less metallic value.
Many of the coins show clash marks in the fields on one or both sides of the coin. Nickel 3-cent pieces were often weekly struck or made from worn dies. All were made at the Philadelphia mint. The final demise of the 3-cent nickel was assured by 2 events. First, in 1875, specie payments were resumed.