The Buffalo nickel — the design of the United States ’ 5-cent mint from 1913 to 1938 — remains one of the most popular and well-loved coins. This, despite the fact that it has been closely a hundred since Buffalo nickels first gear appeared in the pockets and purses of Americans.
hera ’ second everything you want to know about Buffalo nickels and what they ’ ra deserving today.
Design Of The Buffalo Nickel
James E. Fraser designed the Buffalo nickel based from real-life models. The american Bison ( which people normally refer to as a old world buffalo ) is believed to have been Fraser ’ s take on “ Black Diamond, ” an American Bison which was featured at the New York Zoological Gardens. The native american broke is the beautiful, artistic consequence when Fraser combined the features of three american indian chiefs : Iron Tail, Two Moons, and John Big Tree.
Can Buffalo Nickels Still Be Found In Change?
The answer is yes, but this is an extremely difficult undertaking which frequently yields the seeker nothing but a bunch together of Jefferson nickels ( though Jefferson nickels are besides exciting to collect ). Buffalo nickels have long been a darling invention among Americans, for these coins reflect a rich and much romantic separate of our nation ’ s by. Since the last Buffalo nickel was produced in 1938, these coins have been disappearing into collections, hoards, jars, and drawers. very few persist in circulation nowadays, and those which do turn up are much in badly wear condition. In fact, due to the location of the mint ’ s go steady — positioned on a very “ high ” partially of the coin — it is not at all out of the region of possibility to find well-worn Buffalo nickels bearing no date any ! These Buffalo nickels are by and large worth no more than 10 to 25 cents but, if found in circulation, they still make quite a trophy however.
Types Of Buffalo Nickels
While the majority of the Buffalo nickel series contains date and mint check combinations which are highly common, there are a few especial dates which have become quite scarce over the years. Most of the “ actually expensive ” Buffalo nickels are either errors or “ overdates ” — an emergence which occurs when batch engravers inscribe a digit of a date over another finger in a date. Before delving into the diverse rare Buffalo nickels, it is important to realize there are 2 distinct varieties of Buffalo nickels :
Type I Buffalo nickels include the words “ five cents ” superimposed on the pitcher upon which the Bison stands on the reversion of the coin. type I nickels were struck alone during the first year of output : 1913. Type II Buffalo nickels display “ Five Cents ” in a recess sphere below the mound on the turn back. Type II nickels were produced from 1913 right up through to the end of the series .
mint marks, which designate the U.S. Mint that struck a mint, can be found on the Buffalo nickel barely under the words “ five cents ” on the bottom of the turn back side of the coin.
Rare Buffalo Nickels
- The 1913-S Type I Buffalo nickel is a scarce issue which retails for around $50 in Good condition. (For a Buffalo nickel to grade at least “Good,” its date and lettering must all be visible.)
- The 1913-D Type II can bring in $125 in Good condition.
- The 1913-S Type II is even pricier, at $350 in Good condition.
- The 1914/3 (where the digit 4 is superimposed over the 3) is valued at $390 in Good condition, and the 1914-D issue can command $90.
- The 1916 Doubled-Die Obverse can bring in at least $3,500 in Good condition. Doubled-die coins occur when the “die,” which imprints a coin’s design, strikes a coin twice thus imparting a “doubled” image on a coin. The degree of doubling can range from barely perceptible to highly evident.
- The 1918/7-D overdate is worth $1,300 and up in Good or better condition.
- The 1921-S which is worth about $70 and up in Good or better grades.
- The 1935 Doubled-Die Reverse is worth around $40 and up in grades of Good or higher.
Buffalo Nickel Error Coins
There are 2 more Buffalo nickels which can cause attention :
- The 1936-D 3-1/2 legs Buffalo nickel (part of the Bison’s front leg is missing)
- The 1937-D 3 legs Buffalo nickel (one of the rear legs is missing completely)
What are these errors worth ? At least $ 500 and $ 575, respectively, in good condition. Prices increase if the coins are in higher grades ( less wear ) .
To find more Buffalo nickel prices, check out the Professional Coin Grading Service price graph.
What About The Values Of Other Buffalo Nickels?
The brusque solution is that most Buffalo nickels not listed above are worth between $ 1.50 and $ 10 in the lower, circulate grades, depending on date and mint punctuate. You should consider checking out the latest version of A Guide Book of United States Coins by R.S. Yeoman and Ken Bressett for more penetration on values, grade, and other information, including mintages. To find out more about Buffalo nickels on the network, check out this very informative web site dedicated to the Buffalo nickel, or this more concise article on the Buffalo nickel .
Please leave this field empty
Don ’ t miss our latest tiptoe !
Stay up to date with everything about U.S Coins Email Address
*
We don ’ triiodothyronine spam ! Read more in our privacy policy
I ’ m the Coin Editor hera at TheFunTimesGuide. My love for coins began when I was 11 years previous. I primarily collect and study U.S. coins produced during the twentieth century. I ’ m a penis of the American Numismatic Association ( ANA ) and the Numismatic Literary Guild ( NLG ) and have won multiple awards from the NLG for my cultivate as a mint journalist. I ’ m besides the editor program at the Florida United Numismatists Club ( FUN Topics magazine ), and writer of Images of America : The United States Mint in Philadelphia ( a record that explores the colorful history of the Philadelphia Mint ). I ’ ve contributed hundreds of articles for respective coin publications including coinage, The Numismatist, Numismatic News, Coin Dealer Newsletter, Coin Values, and CoinWeek. I ’ ve authored closely 1,000 articles here at The Fun Times Guide to Coins ( many of them with over 50K shares ), and I welcome your coin questions in the comments below !
Leave a Comment