1866 3CN, CAM PR65CAM Certification #27908583, PCGS #83762

Charles Morgan

1866 Three-Cent Nickel Proof: Mintage and Varieties

According to the standard references, the Philadelphia Mint struck a minimum of 725 1866 Three-Cent Nickel Proofs (#3762, CAM #83762, DCAM #93762). However, in United States Proof Coins: Volume II: Nickel (2023), numismatist John Dannreuther estimates a slightly higher issue of 800 pieces.

The production involved one obverse die and two reverse dies. The predominant die pair is JD-1, which Dannreuther estimates was used for 85% of the 1866 Proof Three-Cent Nickel production. Allan Gifford, in The Ultimate Guide to U.S. Three Cent Nickels: 1865 to 1889 (2003) writes that the reverse is rotated 4% clockwise.

The JD-2 pair, discovered by Gary Rosner, is notable for its full detail and the presence of distinct die chips in the left-side denticles. 

Collecting the 1866 Three-Cent Nickel Proof. 

While some researchers estimate the actual mintage could range as high as 800 to 1,200 pieces, the PCGS Population Report provides a clear look at the number and grade distribution of surviving specimens in our holders. Using the 725 mintage figure as a baseline, 44.3% of the mintage has been PCGS certified. Of those, 30% grade at Proof 64 and 36% at Proof 65. The issue becomes conditionally scarce in grades finer than Proof 66.

The breakdown of contrast designations is equally compelling: 

• Brilliant vs. Cameo: Non-Cameo (Brilliant) pieces outnumber Cameos 1.34 to 1. 
• Deep Cameo: These remain elusive, with fewer than 10% of all graded coins earning the DCAM designation.

Vintage Market Snippet

In the March 1965 issue of The Numismatist, dealer Donald E. Brigandi offered "gem Proof" examples of the 1866 Three-Cent Nickel for just $195 each.

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