1876 Shield Nickel. Proof-67 Cameo (NGC).Awesome and rare Superb Gem quality for this popular Centennial year Proof issue in the Shield nickel series. Brilliant apart from the lightest golden iridescence, this fully struck specimen possesses solid contrast between frosty devices and reflective fields. Expertly preserved and virtually pristine, there is much to recommend this coin to the discerning numismatist. The 1876 was likely produced in slightly greater numbers than most other Proof Shield nickels from the 1860s and early to mid 1870s, the Mint eager to provide numismatic keepsakes from the year of the nations centennial. Bowers (2006) provides an estimate of 1,500 to 2,000 coins struck, few other survivors of which can match the present example in either quality or eye appeal.