History of 1913 Liberty Head Nickel Explored
Editor’s Note: For nearly 70 years, the feature-rich pages of Coins magazine, Numismatic News’ venerable sister publication, have tracked the history, fun and the growth of this great hobby, while also attracting new collectors to pursue what was once deemed the “hobby of kings.” Dusting off these time-aged issues, from the early 1960s and beyond, each installment of “Past Times with Coins,” written by its former longtime editor, explores what nuggets of interest they contain.
The December 1963 issue of Coins magazine took a look at one of the great rarities in U.S. coinage, the 1913 Liberty Head nickel, in a story by Henry Travis. 1913 was the year of the changeover from the Liberty Head design by Charles Barber to the Indian Head design by James Earle Fraser. No 1913 Liberty Head nickels should exist, but five do and bring millions today when offered for sale. Two of the five are held in museums.
“The 1913 Liberty Head nickel continues to be one of the most
