1870 Shield Nickel. Proof-67 Cameo (PCGS). CAC. Virtually untoned and platinum-white, this Superb Gem offers truly stunning eye appeal. The fields are heavily mirrored and contrast boldly with satiny, sharply impressed devices. The Proof 1870 Shield nickel has an estimated mintage of 850 to 1,100 coins, thought only about 800 are though to survive. Fewer than 200 are known at the Gem level, and this piece is among the finest of that elite group. 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. It sits at the top of the PCGS Population Report for this category, making it an ideal candidate for an advanced Registry Set of nickels or Proof type.
