Nickels

Following the Civil War, there was a coin shortage and a five-cent coin was proposed as an alternative, or replacement, for five-cent fractional currency. The nickel, aptly named because of its nickel composition, was first minted in 1866 and was slow to gain widespread acceptance due, in part, to the existence of half-dimes, also worth five cents, which continued to be produced until 1873.

The nickel has undergone several design changes since its introduction; however, its size, weight and composition have largely remain unchanged.