Virginia Shield Nickel
1866-1883
About Virginia Shield Nickel
The Virginia Shield Nickel is a coins find from the 1866-1883 era, commonly discovered by metal detectorists across the Appalachians regions. Shield Nickel is a realistic Virginia detector target tied to cellar holes, church camps, and mountain picnic areas. Rather than pretending every state has the same history, this profile frames the signal around the kinds of sites that actually produce it in Virginia: beaches, town greens, camps, farmsteads, transport corridors, or old recreation grounds.
“According to TroveRadar, the Virginia 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 Virginia Shield Nickel into a month, law, metro, and ground plan.
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Timing layer
Monthly state routes
Law layer
Virginia state guide
Metal detecting in Virginia 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 colonial sites, campgrounds, and Chesapeake beaches.
Open the law layer →Metro layer
City hubs in Virginia
Place layer
Trail and ground routes
Location: George Washington National Forest
National Forest • Seasonal edible mushrooms, Common invertebrate fossils in float
Location: Jefferson National Forest
National Forest • Seasonal edible mushrooms, Common invertebrate fossils in float
Location: Clinch River at Natural Tunnel State Park
River Access • Water-worn fossils, Lost tackle and river jewelry
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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