1921-S Buffalo Nickel
Circulation strike struck at the San Francisco Mint · 1,557,000 made
- Mintage
- 1,557,000
- Metal
- 75% copper, 25% nickel
- Weight
- 5 g
- Diameter
- 21.2 mm
Original illustration. Tap to flip. Not a photograph of the actual coin.
Face value · Metal value · Small premium · Collector premium · Significant rarity. We use bands because prices change daily.
What is a 1921-S Buffalo Nickel worth?
Collectors pay a real premium for this date, worn or not, because far fewer were made than usual. Uncirculated pieces go much higher.
What would make yours worth more:
- Uncirculated condition with full original luster
- A die variety or minting error
- Certification by PCGS or NGC, which buyers expect for scarce dates
For market prices, check recent sold results for certified coins in the same grade.
Quick answers
- Is the 1921-S Buffalo Nickel rare?
- Somewhat. 1,557,000 were made, fewer than most dates, so collectors treat it as a semi-key.
- Is the 1921-S Buffalo Nickel silver?
- No. It's 75% copper, 25% nickel. The only silver nickels are the 1942 to 1945 wartime coins with a large mint mark above Monticello.
- Where is the mint mark on a 1921 Buffalo Nickel?
- On the reverse, below the words FIVE CENTS. Philadelphia nickels have no mint mark. On this coin the mark is S, for San Francisco.
- Which San Francisco dates near 1921 are scarcer?
- The 1926-S at 970,000, the 1924-S at 1,437,000. So the 1921-S is on the scarcer side for those years.
- How many 1921-S Buffalo Nickel coins were made?
- 1,557,000.
What to check on your 1921-S
- Make sure the mint mark really is an S. A worn or filled mark can be misread. It's what separates your coin from the 1921 (11 million made).
- Check the date on the obverse, on the raised shoulder below the portrait. Buffalo nickel dates were raised and wore away quickly, so many coins from this period are found with partial or missing dates.
- Judge the grade under good light. The tip of the bison's horn and the date are the key points. A "Full Horn" adds premium and a full, clear date is essential for Fine and above.
Look for a full horn tip on the bison and a clear date. A sharp strike and a full date matter more for value than almost anything else in this series.
The story of the 1921-S
Production at San Francisco fell off a cliff in 1921. Only 1,557,000 were made, against 9.7 million the year before. That drop is why the 1921-S is the one people look for. After that, San Francisco didn't make another until 1923.
The other mint made far more that year: 1921 alone came to 11 million, roughly 6.8 for every 1921-S. If you're checking a pile of 1921 coins, the S is the one to look for. In the whole series, its mintage sits closest to the 1915-S (1,505,000) and the 1924-S (1,437,000).
San Francisco struck the Buffalo Nickel in 22 issues between 1913 and 1937. By mintage this one lands in the scarcer half, while the key for that mint is the 1926-S (970,000). Within the 1920s it's 3rd smallest of 25, between the 1924-S (1.4 million) and the 1927-S (3.4 million).
World War I output and the 1918/7-D (1918 to 1921)
Demand during and after World War I kept production high, reaching more than 60 million at Philadelphia in 1919 and 1920. Denver and San Francisco each struck around 5 to 10 million a year, far less than Philadelphia. A postwar recession cut 1921 output. San Francisco struck only 1.6 million that year, a semi-key date.
The 1918/7-D overdate is one of the most famous varieties of the 20th century. A working die received an 8 over a 7 and went into use without the error being caught. The overdate is difficult to see on worn coins, so collectors check the shape of the 8. Most survivors from these years are worn, often with weak dates. Well struck branch mint coins are scarce.
Elsewhere in US coinage in 1921
Morgan dollar production resumed to replace the coins melted under the Pittman Act. In December the Peace dollar by Anthony de Francisci was introduced, struck in high relief that first year.
How to recognize it
The obverse shows a Native American man facing right, with LIBERTY near the rim and the date on his shoulder. The reverse shows an American bison standing on a raised mound in early 1913 and on flat ground afterwards, with FIVE CENTS below. The mint mark is under FIVE CENTS. The raised date wears quickly, which is why many Buffalo nickels have partial or missing dates.
Mintage chart
Specifications
| Series | Buffalo Nickel (1913–1938) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1921 |
| Mint | San Francisco Mint |
| Mint mark | "S" |
| Strike type | Circulation strike |
| Mintage | 1,557,000 |
| Face value | 5¢ |
| Composition | 75% copper, 25% nickel |
| Weight | 5 grams |
| Diameter | 21.2 mm |
| Edge | Plain |
| Designer | James Earle Fraser |
Other 1921 Buffalo Nickel issues
| Coin | Mintage | Type | Silver |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1921 Buffalo Nickel | 10,663,000 | Circulation strike | – |
| 1921-S Buffalo Nickel | 1,557,000 | Circulation strike | – |
Mintage: United States nickel mintage figures (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0), compiled from US Mint records and the Guide Book of United States Coins. How we build these pages.