BUFFALO NICKELS 1913-1938

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 DATE         GOOD         VERY GOOD           FINE          VERY FINE        EXTRA FINE
 1913tI  05234  14.95    05334  17.95    05434   19.95    05534   24.95    05634   34.95
 1913d   05235  24.95    05335  29.95    05435   32.50    05535   47.50    05635   59.95
 1913s   05236  69.95    05336  72.50    05436   79.95    05536   97.50    05636  110.00
 1913t2  05237  14.95    05337  19.95    05437   27.50    05537   29.95    05637   32.50
 1913d   05238 174.95    05338 225.00    05438  225.00    05538  239.95    05638  295.00
 1913s   05239 295.00    05339 385.00    05439  510.00    05539  600.00    05639  700.00
 1914    05240  24.95    05340  29.95    05440   32.50    05540   37.50    05640   42.50
 1914d   05241 129.95    05341 149.95    05441  174.95    05541  229.95    05641  350.00
 1914s   05242  39.95    05342  54.95    05442   67.50    05542   89.95    05642  137.50
 1915    05243   5.95    05343   7.95    05443    4.95    05543   17.50    05643   34.95
 1915d   05244  29.95    05344  44.95    05444   59.95    05544   89.95    05644  165.00
 1915s   05245  59.95    05345  89.95    05445  119.95    05545  257.50    05645  550.00
 1916    05246   5.95    05346   7.95    05446    9.95    05546   12.50    05646   17.50
 1916d   05247  27.50    05347  37.50    05447   42.50    05547   52.50    05647  110.00
 1916s   05248  17.50    05348  22.50    05448   34.95    05548   52.50    05648  110.00
 1917    05249   5.95    05349   7.95    05449    9.95    05549   12.50    05649   19.95
 1917d   05250  29.95    05350  49.95    05450   77.50    05550  115.00    05650  239.95
 1917s   05251  37.50    05351  64.95    05451  129.95    05551  185.00    05651  310.00
 1918    05252   6.95    05352   7.95    05452    9.95    05552   12.50    05652   37.50
 1918d   05253  34.95    05353  54.95    05453   89.95    05553  165.00    05653  330.00
 1918s   05254  19.95    05354  39.95    05454   84.95    05554  137.50    05654  285.00
 1919    05255   2.95    05355   4.95    05455    5.95    05555    9.95    05655   19.95
 1919d   05256  24.95    05356  44.95    05456   99.95    05556  147.50    05656  350.00
 1919s   05257  12.50    05357  29.95    05457   77.50    05557  132.50    05657  350.00
 1920    05258   1.95    05358   2.95    05458    4.95    05558    9.95    05658   22.50
 1920d   05259  14.95    05359  29.95    05459   54.95    05559  147.50    05659  385.00
 1920s   05260   5.95    05360  14.95    05460   32.50    05560  110.00    05660  275.00
 1921    05261   4.95    05361   7.95    05461    9.95    05561   29.95    05661   79.95
 1921s   05262  89.95    05362 129.95    05462  165.00    05562  450.00    05662     POR
 1923    05263   2.50    05363   4.95    05463    5.95    05563    9.95    05663   19.95
 1923s   05264   9.95    05364  14.95    05464   37.50    05564  137.50    05664  330.00
 1924    05265   1.95    05365   2.95    05465    4.95    05565    9.95    05665   32.50
 1924d   05266  12.50    05366  17.50    05466   44.95    05566  110.00    05666  275.00
 1924s   05267  24.95    05367  59.95    05467  119.95    05567  450.00    05667     POR
 1925    05268   2.95    05368   4.95    05468    5.95    05568    9.95    05668   29.95
 1925d   05269  14.95    05369  32.50    05469   54.95    05569   99.95    05669  242.50
 1925s   05270   5.95    05370  14.95    05470   29.95    05570  104.95    05670  275.00
 1926    05271   1.95    05371   2.50    05471    3.95    05571    7.95    05671   19.95
 1926d   05272  14.95    05372  27.50    05472   44.95    05572  119.95    05672  250.00
 1926s   05273  37.50    05373  79.95    05473  110.00    05573  250.00    05673     POR
 1927    05274   1.95    05374   2.50    05474    2.95    05574    5.95    05674   19.95
 1927d   05275   3.95    05375   9.95    05475   14.95    05575   49.95    05675  114.95
 1927s   05276   2.50    05376   2.95    05476    9.95    05576   54.95    05676  124.95
 1928    05277   1.95    05377   2.50    05477    2.95    05577    5.95    05677   19.95
 1928d   05278   1.95    05378   3.50    05478    4.95    05578   22.50    05678   64.95
 1928s   05279   1.95    05379   2.50    05479    3.95    05579   17.50    05679   44.95
 1929    05280   1.50    05380   2.50    05480    2.95    05580    5.95    05680   19.95
 1929d   05281   1.50    05381   2.50    05481    2.95    05581    9.95    05681   52.50
 1929s   05282   1.50    05382   1.95    05482    2.50    05582    2.95    05682   19.95
 1930    05283   1.50    05383   1.95    05483    2.95    05583    5.95    05683   19.95
 1930s   05285   1.95    05385   2.50    05485    3.95    05585    5.95    05685   24.95
 1931s   05286  19.95    05386  22.50    05486   24.95    05586   29.95    05686   52.50
 1934    05287   1.95    05387   2.50    05487    2.95    05587    5.95    05687   17.50
 1934d   05288   2.50    05388   3.95    05488    5.95    05588   14.95    05688   32.50
 1935    05289   1.50    05389   1.95    05489    2.50    05589    2.95    05689    3.95
 1935d   05290   1.95    05390   2.95    05490    3.95    05590    7.95    05690   29.95
 1935s   05291   1.50    05391   2.50    05491    2.95    05591    3.95    05691    4.95
 1936    05292   1.50    05392   1.95    05492    2.50    05592    2.95    05692    3.95
 1936d   05293   1.50    05393   2.50    05493    2.95    05593    3.95    05693    4.95
 1936s   05294   1.50    05394   2.50    05494    2.95    05594    3.95    05694    4.95
 1937    05295   1.50    05395   1.95    05495    2,50    05595    2.95    05695    3.95
 1937d   05296   1.50    05396   2.50    05496    2.95    05596    3.95    05696    4.95
 1937s   05297   1.50    05397   2.50    05497    2.95    05597    3.95    05697    4.95
 1938d   05298   2.95    05398   3.95    05498    4.95    05598    6.95    05698    6.95

GRADING BUFFALO NICKELS Grading standards for Buffalo nickels from Good to Extra Fine.


The History of the Buffalo Nickel Five Cent Piece (1913-1938):

The first Buffalo Five Cent Piece was issued in 1913. Though most commonly referred to as a Buffalo Nickel, this Five Cent Piece was also called Bison Nickel or Indian Head Nickel. The obverse design depicted an Indian head. Three different American Indians were used as models: Chief Two Moons (Cheyenne) modeled for the forehead and hair; Chief John Big Tree (Iroquois) the nose and mouth; and Chief Iron Tail (Sioux) for the chin and throat. The reverse design depicted a buffalo and once again a real model was used! Black Diamond was the buffalo's name and he was a resident of the New York Zoological Gardens.

While the obverse design remained the same throughout the 26 years of production, the reverse design was changed slightly midway through its first year. The original design portrays the buffalo standing atop a mound. Shortly after the new Five Cent Piece was placed into circulation, it was discovered that the mound was causing striking difficulties and the thickness in that same area of the coin did not work well in vending machines. Siting these two problems, as well as the fear that the denomination would wear too quickly, the mound was removed. A thin ground line was added in its place which actually served as a protective bar for the denomination.

The Buffalo Five Cent Piece was designed by James Earl Fraser. His initial, F, was located on the obverse just below the date. The composition of the The Buffalo Five Cent Piece was 75% copper and 25% nickel. These coins had a weight of 5.00 grams, a diameter of 21.2mm, and a plain rim. The mint mark is located on the reverse, at the very bottom, near the rim. Buffalo Five Cent Pieces were struck in Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco. (cents struck in Philadelphia bear no mint mark).

In 1937 at the Denver Mint, a special variety known as the "Three Legged Buffalo" was created when the reverse die was ground down after an accidental clash with as obverse die. The end result was a buffalo that only has three visible legs. This oddity is highly sought after by collectors. We do have Three Legged Buffalo Nickels available...click here to e-mail us regarding prices and grades.


Key to abbreviations used on this page:

T1(Type 1): Refers to the 1913 Buffalo Five Cent Pieces, Variety 1, with a the buffalo standing atop a mound.

T2(Type 2): Refers to the 1913 Buffalo Five Cent Pieces, Variety 2, with a the buffalo standing atop a thin ground line.

D (Denver): The 'D' mint mark is located on the reverse at the very bottom near the rim.

S (San Francisco): The 'S' mint mark is located on the reverse at the very bottom near the rim.. Note: Cents struck in Philadelphia bear no mint mark.


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