1867 SHIELD 5C

The Shield Nickel is the first United States coin of the Five-Cent denomination to be struck in this composition.  Designed by James Barton Longacre, the initial motif featured rays between the stars on the reverse.  This design was employed only in 1866 and the early portion of 1867, at which point it was replaced by the Shield type without reverse rays.  We have heard stories claiming that the Mint's decision to abandon the rays was due to public outrage in the North, where the design was perceived as being superficially similar to the Stars and Bars emblem of the recently defeated Southern Confederacy.  As intriguing as this story is, it is more likey that the rays created too cluttered of a design that caused excessive wear and breakage among working dies.