1870 Shield Nickel. Proof-67 Cameo (NGC).Gorgeous golden-tinged surfaces present as untoned at most viewing angles. The fields are highly reflective and contrast boldly with satiny, smartly impressed devices. The Proof 1870 Shield nickel has an estimated mintage of 850 to 1,100 coins (per Bowers, 2006), and this is one of the finest survivors known to the major third party certification services. An ideal candidate for inclusion in an advanced Proof type or date set, and worthy of the strongest bids.Many Proof nickels of this date were struck from highly polished reverse dies. This is just such a coin, a loupe revealing that the tops or bottoms of some letters in the legend have been removed by polishing. These include the letters D in UNITED, the first and last S in STATES, and the S in CENTS.