South Dakota Shield Nickel
1866-1883
About South Dakota Shield Nickel
The South Dakota Shield Nickel is a coins find from the 1866-1883 era, commonly discovered by metal detectorists across the Great Plains regions. Shield Nickel is a realistic South Dakota detector target tied to old townsites, county fairgrounds, and farmstead yards. Rather than pretending every state has the same history, this profile frames the signal around the kinds of sites that actually produce it in South Dakota: beaches, town greens, camps, farmsteads, transport corridors, or old recreation grounds.
“According to TroveRadar, the South Dakota Shield Nickel (1866-1883) is valued at $15-400+ depending on date and quality and typically found at 3-7 inches depth. TroveRadar catalogs 1,016+ metal detecting finds across North America.”
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Turn South Dakota Shield Nickel into a month, law, metro, and ground plan.
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Timing layer
Monthly state routes
Law layer
South Dakota state guide
Metal detecting in South Dakota is usually governed by who manages the ground rather than by one blanket statute. Municipal beaches and local parks may allow it, while archaeological sites, battlefields, historic structures, and many state park units are restricted or off limits. That matters in badlands, old forts, and reservoir beaches.
Open the law layer →Metro layer
City hubs in South Dakota
No city hubs are published for this state yet.
Place layer
Trail and ground routes
Location: Black Hills National Forest
National Forest • Seasonal edible mushrooms, Common invertebrate fossils in float
Location: Custer State Park
State Park • Photo opportunities, Exposed shoreline stones
Location: Palisades State Park
State Park • Photo opportunities, Exposed shoreline stones
Location: Angostura Recreation Area
Recreation Area • Site-specific opportunities, Historic landscape clues
Signal Pattern
mid conductor near modern nickels but usually a bit sharper
Typical Depth
3-7 inches
Estimated Value
$15-400+ depending on date and quality
Common Regions
Cleaning & Preservation Tips
- ●rinse with water
- ●keep dirt from date area but avoid rubbing
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