The 1913 Liberty Head Nickel: The Mystery of the Five Known Pieces
The 1913 Liberty Head Nickel remains one of the most intriguing and mysterious coins in U.S. numismatic history. This rare coin, which was never officially minted by the U.S. Mint in 1913, has captivated collectors and historians alike for over a century.
The Liberty Head design, used from 1883 to 1912, was replaced by the Buffalo Nickel in 1913, making the continued production of Liberty Head Nickels highly improbable.
Despite this, five known examples of the 1913 Liberty Head Nickel exist, and their existence has sparked intense debate and controversy. It is widely believed that these coins were struck illegally, most likely by a Mint employee or someone with inside knowledge, making their creation an act of coin fraud.
The coins were not discovered until 1920, when one surfaced in a collection, which immediately attracted widespread attention. Following that discovery, the remaining four coins were found, each under mysterious circumstances, fueling theories about their origins.
The 1913 Liberty Head Nickel became a symbol of rarity and value, with a single coin achieving millions of dollars at auction in modern times. In 2018, one such coin sold for over $4.5 million, a testament to its high demand among collectors.
The coins have been the subject of extensive research, and while many believe they were struck without official authorization, the true story behind their creation remains shrouded in mystery.
Some theories suggest the coins were struck as part of a practical joke or a secret Mint experiment, while others believe they may have been made to test the new dies of the Liberty Head design before the switch to the Buffalo Nickel.
Regardless of their origins, the 1913 Liberty Head Nickels stand as one of the most coveted and controversial coins in U.S. history.