The nickel three-cent piece was first minted in 1865 and was produced until 1889. It was made of a copper-nickel alloy and weighed 3 grams. The coin's obverse featured a Liberty head design by James B. Longacre, while the reverse featured a Roman numeral "III" within a wreath.
The 1866 three-cent piece is a key date in the series, as it is the first year that the coin was minted with a copper-nickel composition. This change was made in order to reduce the cost of producing the coin, as the previous copper-nickel composition was more expensive.
The 1866 three-cent piece is also a popular coin among collectors, as it is a relatively rare coin. The mintage of the 1866 three-cent piece was only 12,130,000, which is significantly lower than the mintages of other three-cent pieces from the same period.
The value of an 1866 three-cent piece can vary depending on its condition. Coins that are in good condition and have no significant damage can be worth several thousand dollars. Coins that are in poor condition or have significant damage may be worth only a few hundred dollars.
If you have an 1866 three-cent piece, it is important to have it appraised by a professional coin dealer or numismatist in order to determine its exact value.