Buffalo Nickel Value Chart: Every Date From 1913 to 1938

The dates to check first

These are the lowest-mintage Buffalo nickels struck for circulation. If you're sorting a jar or an inherited collection, pull these dates out before anything else and check the mint mark carefully.

1. 1926-S Buffalo Nickel: 970,000 made.
2. 1931-S Buffalo Nickel: 1,200,000 made.
3. 1913-S Buffalo Nickel (Type 2, flat on reverse, Key date): 1,209,000 made.
4. 1924-S Buffalo Nickel: 1,437,000 made.
5. 1915-S Buffalo Nickel: 1,505,000 made.
6. 1921-S Buffalo Nickel: 1,557,000 made.

Every buffalo nickel by date and mint

Click any date for its full page: how many were made, the mint mark location, varieties and what to check. Mint marks matter: the same year can be common from one mint and scarce from another.

The series in 4 stages

Type 1, Type 2 and the wearing date (1913 to 1917)

James Earle Fraser's Buffalo nickel was released in 1913. The first version, Type 1, showed the bison standing on a raised mound with FIVE CENTS on it. The words wore away quickly, so later in 1913 the Mint lowered the ground into a flat line with the denomination below it, creating Type 2. The 1913-S Type 2 is a key date with only 1.2 million made.

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.

Branch mint keys and soft strikes (1922 to 1931)

No nickels were struck in 1922. Production resumed in 1923. San Francisco struck small numbers in several years, creating the 1923-S, 1924-S and 1926-S semi-keys. The 1926-S, at 970,000, is the lowest mintage regular issue of the series. Denver and San Francisco coins from these years are known for weak strikes, especially on the bison's head and the date.

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.

Decade by decade

• 1910s: 24 issues, 408 million coins. Scarcest: 1913-S (Type 2, flat on reverse, Key date) (1,209,000).
• 1920s: 25 issues, 399 million coins. Scarcest: 1926-S (970,000).
• 1930s: 15 issues, 407 million coins. Scarcest: 1931-S (1,200,000).

Where to find the mint mark

• 1913 to 1938: On the reverse, below the words FIVE CENTS. Philadelphia nickels have no mint mark.

Identifying and grading Buffalo nickels

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.

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.

What the value bands mean

• Face value: worth its face in worn condition; only uncirculated coins and varieties carry a premium.
• Small premium: sells for a little over face or metal value even when worn.
• Collector premium: scarcer than usual, so worn coins sell well above face or metal value.
• Significant rarity: a key date, valuable in any condition and often faked.

Bands describe a coin in ordinary circulated condition. An uncirculated coin with full original luster sits a band or more higher. Recognized varieties can be worth far more than the date itself.