The 1912-S Liberty Nickel has the lowest mintage of the series by far, with only 238,000 produced. The next lowest mintage is the 1885 Liberty Nickel with 1,472,700 produced.
Even though the 1912-S has a very low mintage, the 1885 is more rare. Many 1912-S Liberty Nickels were retained before they had a chance to circulate [...]

As with the previous year, the 1886 Liberty Nickel experienced a reduced mintage. The total coins struck for circulation at the Philadelphia Mint numbered 3,326,000. This ranks the coin as the third lowest mintage of the series.
Coins are priced at a premium, even in lower circulated grades. Particularly interesting is the fact that well circulated [...]

The 1885 Liberty Nickel is the lowest mintage of the series except for the later 1912-S. The 1885 is generally considered to be the key date of the Liberty Nickel series. The mintage for circulation strikes was 1,472,700.
Examples of the coin are expensive across all grades, even lower circulated grades. The 1885 Liberty Nickel is [...]

The 1883 Liberty Nickel “without CENTS” is the first year of issue for the Liberty Nickel series and the original design. The denomination of the coin was indicated on the reverse with a large Roman Numeral “V” as the only indication of value. Because the diameter of the nickel was nearly the same as the [...]

As with all nickels produced since 1866, except for the wartime issues of 1942-1945, the Liberty Head Nickels are made out of a composition of 75% copper and 25% Nickel. They weigh 5 grams, and have a plain edge. All coins were produced at the Philadelphia Mint until 1912, when coins were also struck at [...]