1934 Buffalo Nickel
Circulation strike struck at the Philadelphia Mint · 20,213,003 made
- Mintage
- 20,213,003
- 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 1934 Buffalo Nickel worth?
Age alone gives this coin a small premium, even worn. Sharp details and original surfaces push it higher.
What would make yours worth more:
- Uncirculated condition with full original luster
- A die variety or minting error
For market prices, check recent sold results for certified coins in the same grade.
Quick answers
- Is the 1934 Buffalo Nickel rare?
- No. 20 million were made, a typical run for the series. Condition and varieties decide its value, not the date.
- Is the 1934 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 1934 Buffalo Nickel?
- On the reverse, below the words FIVE CENTS. Philadelphia nickels have no mint mark.
- Which Philadelphia dates near 1934 are scarcer?
- None. Within five years either side, no Philadelphia issue had a smaller mintage than the 1934.
- How many 1934 Buffalo Nickel coins were made?
- 20,213,003.
What to check on your 1934
- There's no mint mark on this one, so the date and condition are what matter.
- 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. With 20,213,003 made, you can still find a 1934 in rolls, old jars and inherited collections. The coins worth keeping are the uncirculated ones and any with a doubled die or other variety.
The story of the 1934
Philadelphia hadn't struck the Buffalo Nickel since 1930. When it came back in 1934, it made 20,213,003. The next year it made 58 million (1935).
It was the big producer of the year, well ahead of 1934-D (7.5 million).
Only the 1921 has a lower mintage among Philadelphia's 22 Buffalo Nickels. Within the 1930s it's 10th smallest of 15, between the 1937-D (18 million) and the 1930 (23 million).
Depression gap, record output and the legless bison (1932 to 1938)
No nickels were made in 1932 or 1933. Production resumed in 1934 and climbed to a series high of 119 million at Philadelphia in 1936. Proofs returned in 1936 and 1937, first with satin and then brilliant finishes. The 1935 has a doubled die reverse.
Two famous varieties come from Denver. In 1936 a die was polished so heavily that the bison has three and a half legs. In 1937 a similar polishing removed the front leg entirely, creating the 1937-D three-legged nickel, one of the most popular varieties. In 1938 only Denver struck Buffalo nickels before the Jefferson nickel replaced it. Some 1938-D coins show a D over S mint mark. These later dates are common and often well struck.
Elsewhere in US coinage in 1934
The Gold Reserve Act transferred gold to the Treasury and the official price of gold was raised soon after. Silver dollar production resumed briefly with Peace dollars.
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 | 1934 |
| Mint | Philadelphia Mint |
| Mint mark | None |
| Strike type | Circulation strike |
| Mintage | 20,213,003 |
| Face value | 5¢ |
| Composition | 75% copper, 25% nickel |
| Weight | 5 grams |
| Diameter | 21.2 mm |
| Edge | Plain |
| Designer | James Earle Fraser |
Other 1934 Buffalo Nickel issues
| Coin | Mintage | Type | Silver |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1934 Buffalo Nickel | 20,213,003 | Circulation strike | – |
| 1934-D Buffalo Nickel | 7,480,000 | 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.