Images are large so that you get a good look. Click on the images to enlarge. The reverse shows a LOT of doubling. BUT I don't think it's the classic doubled die. I see evidence of a die clash. I suspect the reverse die was polished to remove the worst of the doubling THEN recut to retain design details. Opinions, please. 1866 Shield Nickel with Rays, PCGS AU-55 I included the obverse just to be complete.
What is the most authoritative guide/book to shield nickels? These are the only 5 I've found: Bowers, Q. David. A Guide Book of Shield and Liberty Head Nickels. Whitman, 2006. Breen, Walter. Complete Encyclopedia of U.S. and Colonial Coins. New York, NT: Doubleday (F.C.I Press), 1988. Fivaz, Bill and Stanton, J.T. The Cherrypickers' Guide to Rare Die Varieties - Fourth Edition, Volume 1. Savannah, GA: Stanton Books and Supplies, 2000. Fletcher, Edward L. The Shield Five Cent Series. Ormond Beach, FL: Dead End Publishing, 1994, pp.148-151. Peters, Gloria and Mohon, Cynthia. The Complete Guide to Shield and Liberty Nickels. Virginia Beach, VA: DLRC Press, 1995.
I have the Peters and Mohon book from years ago. Don't do enough with them, so I can't comment on the Bowers book. (Don't have access to my books while I'm recovering from shoulder surgery or I would try to look it up for you) I don't believe you have a DDR, but it may be a repunched date. There is a member who is very knowledgeable about shields but I can't recall his name.
Reverse is Longacre doubling, very common on these coins. There are also lathe lines though the stars from TA through AM and a few through the stars above CENT, these are also common on these coins. The field is unfinished at the bottom of the center three white stripes and around the anulet. Also not unusual. The shield nickel dies failed very quickly and the die shop was going crazy trying to keep the presses supplied with dies. So a LOT of dies that had errors or just hadn't been completely ground down to remove surface imperfections were pushed into production.
Longacre Doubling. Heard of the term but seeing an example is much better. "Lathe Lines" is new to me. Thanks for the info.
