The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-02
VARIETY IN FIVE CENT PIECES.
ABOUT roo KINDS STRUCK AT
THE MINT.
Only Four OF Them Familiar I o the Public
The Others Mostly Pattern Pieces
That Never Get Into Circulation some
worth Much More mi Five Cents.

That Never Get Into Circulation some
worth Much More Than Five Tents
Only -four varieties OF the five cent nickel
piece are familiar 10 the public, the ono
with the figure IS" with rays at the back,
OF 1866; the coin without the rays. and the
"" nickel with and without the word
cents" of 1888; but many five cent pat
tern coins have been engraved and struck
at the United States Mint.
These nave been struck in nickel, copper.
bronze, and aluminium, on thin, thick, and
small planchets. Together with the five
cent coins struck from the regular dies
in odd metals, there are not less than 100
varieties of five cent pieces. There was
even one five cent pattern piece struck
in silver in 1871.
In 1860 a beautiful five cent pattern
piece bore the bust Of Washington,
with the date underneath in small figures.
This was struck in 10th copper and nickel.
In copper IL has sold for $3.50: in nickel
for $40.
Another variety Of this year showed
the bust of Washington. but the inscrip-
tons were reversed, the motto -ln God
We Trust" being placed on the diverse
and United States of America" on the
reverse. This style was coined in copper,
bronze and nickel. Two other varieties,
embracing this general design, with but
slight differences, were struck inNthe same
metals.
Another distinct variety showed the
bust of Washington, with the motto at the
top, while the reverse showed a large figure
IS within a circle of thirteen stars. divided
by thirteen stripes. At the extreme bottom
was the word Gents" This style was
coined in bronze, copper and nickel.
still another showed tho Gust of WASH
ington, at the top of which was the in
scription. God and Our Country The
reverse showed an upright figure IS" within
a li1ht wreath. One variety had the same
diverse as this, but the figure IS" was
within a thick wreath of laurel tied at the
base with a ribbon.
On the diverse Of another was the motto,
an God We Trust" The principal device
on this was a shield with six bars, sur
mounted 10y a small cross. Descending
from either side at the DOT OF the cross
are ranches of laurel.
From behind the shield at the base pro-
ject two arrows. At the bottom Of the
shield a ball divides the date 1850" Tho
reverse StlONS IL hkhlt - Wilma iVobu
In nickel this variety il worth So.
Several other nickel patterns of 1850
bore the same diverse, combined with the
reverses of some of the others just de-
scribed, but one had a very marked re-
verso. showing the figure IS within a circle
Of thirteen stars.
The last five cent pattern Of the year
showed the head of Lincoln. This coin is
now worth 81.
II 1857 a FIVE cent pattern piece was
issued with the mead Of Liberty to the left.
In nickel this specimen is worth 81.
Two other nickels vary slightly from
this one. A third shows the head of Liberty
covered with a headdress of four feathers.
Another five cent piece of 1857 had the
same diverse as the last, but the reverse
shows a smaller "" within a thick wreath
of oak and laurel. Above the "V" is a
six pointed star. with a pellet beneath,
dividing two small m Three other
patterns Of this denomination were struck
during the year. .
In 1865 a nickel pattern bore the mead
of Libert y with a coronet. The reverse
rad a "" within a laurel wreath, above
which connecting the ends Is a scroll with
the motto In God We Trust" between
the folds of the scroll being a small Maltese
cross. The pattern in nickel is now val
ued at 81.
Another Of this year has the same diverse,
bat the "" is larger, and rests upon u
shield surrounded by scroll and Leaf orna-
mentation. The last pattern Of 1865 shows
the head OF Liberty, with the figure IS"
Gents" curved This PATTERN was struck
in copper. alum inum and nickel
The year 1869 showed n pattern nickel
apparently from the same dies that had
been used for those Of 1888, the only differ
ence helm the date. This is worth 81.
Another showed the head OF Libert y, with
the word Liberty in RI ised letters on
the %coronet. This coin also Is worth 81.
Only one five cent pattern coin was struck
in 1879. he diverse of this was the same
a. the last described Of 1895, but the reverse
bore the word standard" Within a
wreath of cotton and corn was the value,
Is cents" This was struck in silver, copper
and aluminium.
A striking five cent nickel came out in
1871. This showed on the obverse Liberty
seated upon a rock. The right hand holds
a pole supporting a liberty cap, the left
. resting upon a globe Inscribed Liberty"
Upon the globe Fse the degrees of latitude
flag. The initials -. b. L." appear in
the field (James B. Longacre, the engraver
of the piece. This was coined in silver
and copper.
Another variety of this year shows the
coroncted head OF Liberty on the diverse
and the "" within a laural wreath on the
reverse. This was struck in copper and
nickel. On the latter variety the engraver
had made the mistake Of shading the rear
arm of the W. This coin in nickel is
worth 81.
In 1881 a pattern nickel showed the head
of Liberty wearing IA helmet inscribed
Liberty with the hair tied in a knot.
This pattern was struck in nickel, and is
worth about 81.
The head of Lit erty on the first of the pat
tern nickelS coined in 1882 showed the hair
low on the forehead in a wavy manner
| gathered behind in a krot, with a single
curl descending 10 the neck Behind arc
three heads Of wheat, cotton, leaves and
bollS.
another pattern five cent piece of 1892
shows the same head of Ii! erty as the fore
gning. with thirteen stars around it. On
the revarsa is the Inscription United States
! Of America" and e Pluribus Unum.7 This
was the desirn adopted in the early part of
1883. known generally as the nickel
without the cents" This pattern is now
worth So in either nickel or copper. Still
another has thin diverse. but the motto az
Plurii us Unum" is above the wreath. in
nickel this has sold for s4.15.
An odd pattern was struck in 1888. showing
the word Gents" across the top of the nu-
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