1883 Three Cent Nickel, Splendidly Toned PR66 PCGS CAC

1883 Three Cent Nickel, Splendidly Toned PR66 PCGS CAC. Delightful color greets the eye on this highly lustrous 1883 three cent nickel. A large quantity of these were apparently made for inclusion in the minor proof sets of the year (non-silver/non-gold coins), which included the Indian cent, the three cent nickel, and, variously and not completely as the year progressed, some had the old Shield nickel design in its last year, the new Liberty nickel design No CENTS, and the Liberty nickel With CENTS. The launch of new “nickels” attributed to the popularity of the minor proof sets, but the mintage figures traditionally given are unreliable. At any rate, this is a splendid coin for the grade, and a great proof type coin in a series that is not widely collected—making the present piece an excellent opportunity! You can see the die breaks on the reverse at 12, 3, and 6 o’clock, among others—clear evidence that the Mint was wearing out these dies on the hard nickel surfaces to fulfill the surprisingly large number of orders.