Alongside silver three-cent coins, the United States issued three-cent nickel coins made of copper and nickel from 1851 to 1873. Although these three-cent nickels would last through the Civil War and beyond, they were discontinued in 1873, along with the silver version and other coins, in an effort to modernize the coins that had become the most popular and useful among the American people.
Collectors who want a copper-nickel 3-cent U.S. coin for their collections can check the current sale offers, which are updated daily. Several years, and grades and conditions, may be found.