The Wonderful Buffalo Nickel
This coin is probably my favorite coin in all the world. It is a truly American coin, one that
portrays the raw spirit of our early history. The Coin was designed by the artist James Earl Fraser
1876-1953. Frasers wife and fellow artist Laura Gardin Fraser a designer of several of our
commemorative half dollars and designed what should have been our Washington quarter. This
design is now a $5 commemorative gold piece released in 1999. The Buffalo Nickel or Indian Head
Nickel as it is some times referred to, was minted from 1913 though 1938 with the exception of the
years 1922,1932, and 1933. Not counting proofs there are sixty-four different date mint mark coins
which include both types for 1913. There are twenty-one 'P' mint coins, twenty 'D' mint coins, and
twenty-one 'S' minted coins. There are many varieties but the most famous are the 16/16
obverse, the 1918D 18/17 and the 1937D 3-legged. If your intention were to put together a low grade set then there are really only six tough coins price wise. The 1913 D type two, The 1913 S type two, the 1914 D, the 1915 S, the 1921 S, and the 1926 S. There are dates that will be harder to find than some of these six however even in the lower grades. The 1915 S and the 1918 S and the 1924 S and the 1926 S are always scarce. As you raise your sights grade wise, especially past the grade of fine, many other dates equal and some far surpass these six price wise. If it is a high grade set you are interested in and money were no object then you would want to start out buying the three big boys. The 1926 S, the 1925 S. and the 1918 S. Expect to spend about a tenth of a million dollars on the three though if you demand them in MS 65.
The 1913 Raised Ground or Mound Type
The type 1 1913 P mint had 30,993,520 buisness strike coins minted. There were 1520 proofs minted..The present value ranges are $5.00 in good to $30 in MS60 to $110 in MS65 in the trends in early 2001
The type 1 1913 D mint had 5,337,000 buisness strike coins minted. The present value ranges are $8.00 in good to $48 in MS60 to $180 in MS65 in the trends in early 2001
The type 1 1913 S mint had 2,105,000 buisness strike coins minted. The present value ranges are $15.00 in good to $65 in MS60 to $575 in MS65 in the trends in early 2001
The 1913 though 1938 D Line Type
The type 2 1913 P mint had 29,858,700 buisness strike coins minted. There were 1514 proofs minted..The present value ranges are $7.00 in good to $32 in MS60 to $310 in MS65 in the trends in early 2001
The type 2 1913 D mint had 4,156,000 buisness strike coins minted. The present value ranges are $45.00 in good to $175 in MS60 to $800 in MS65 in the trends in early 2001
The type 2 1913 S mint had 1,209,000 buisness strike coins minted. The present value ranges are $100 in good to $550 in MS60 to $2825 in MS65 in the trends in early 2001
The 1914 P mint had 20,665,738 buisness strike coins minted. There were 1275 proofs minted..The present value ranges are $11.75 in good to $45 in MS60 to $400 in MS65 in the trends in early 2001
The 1914 D mint had 3,912,000 buisness strike coins minted. The present value ranges are $45.00 in good to $195 in MS60 to $1400 in MS65 in the trends in early 2001
The 1914 S mint had 3,470,000 buisness strike coins minted. The present value ranges are $12 in good to $130 in MS60 to $1650 in MS65 in the trends in early 2001
The 1915 P mint had 20,987,270 buisness strike coins minted. There were 1050 proofs minted..The present value ranges are $4.75 in good to $47 in MS60 to $285 in MS65 in the trends in early 2001
The 1915 D mint had 7,769,500 buisness strike coins minted. The present value ranges are $10.00 in good to $190 in MS60 to $1950 in MS65 in the trends in early 2001
The 1915 S mint had 1,505,000 buisness strike coins minted. The present value ranges are $22 in good to $450 in MS60 to $2000 in MS65 in the trends in early 2001 Although some guides rate this coin as the fifth hardest to aquire, I believe it should be ranked even higher. If you have the oppertunity to buy a decent example of this coin, do so......
The 1916 P mint had 63,498,066 buisness strike coins minted. There were 600 proofs minted..The present value ranges are $3.50 in good to $39.50 in MS60 to $275 in MS65 in the trends in early 2001
The 1916 D mint had 13,333,000 buisness strike coins minted. The present value ranges are $9.00 in good to $135 in MS60 to $1850 in MS65 in the trends in early 2001
The 1916 S mint had 11,860,000 buisness strike coins minted. The present value ranges are $5 in good to $155 in MS60 to $2000 in MS65 in the trends in early 2001
The 1917 P mint had 51,424,029 buisness strike coins minted. The present value ranges are $2.50 in good to $50 in MS60 to $475 in MS65 in the trends in early 2001
The 1917 D mint had 9,910,800 buisness strike coins minted. The present value ranges are $9.00 in good to $250 in MS60 to $2750 in MS65 in the trends in early 2001
The 1917 S mint had 4,193,000 buisness strike coins minted. The present value ranges are $12 in good to $330 in MS60 to $2900 in MS65 in the trends in early 2001
The 1918 P mint had 32,086,314 buisness strike coins minted. The present value ranges are $2.50 in good to $85 in MS60 to $1300 in MS65 in the trends in early 2001
The 1918 D mint had 8,362,314 buisness strike coins minted. The present value ranges are $8.00 in good to $340 in MS60 to $3800 in MS65 in the trends in early 2001
The 1918 S mint had 4,882,000 buisness strike coins minted. The present value ranges are $9.00 in good to $390 in MS60 to $25,000 in MS65 in the trends in early 2001. As you can see by the evaluation that
this coin is nearly impossible to find in the high grades. It is also much harder in the mid grades to find than
the 14/64 placement the guides give it. In low grades it is medium to easy to find.
The 1919 P mint had 60,868,000 buisness strike coins minted. The present value ranges are $8.00 in good to $50 in MS60 to $450 in MS65 in the trends in early 2001
The 1919 D mint had 8,006,000 buisness strike coins minted. The present value ranges are $8.00 in good to $475 in MS60 to $4600 in MS65 in the trends in early 2001
The 1919 S mint had 7,521,000 buisness strike coins minted. The present value ranges are $5.50 in good to $440 in MS60 to $10,000 in MS65 in the trends in early 2001.
The 1920 P mint had 63,093,000 buisness strike coins minted. The present value ranges are $1.00 in good to $50 in MS60 to $650 in MS65 in the trends in early 2001
The 1920 D mint had 9,418,000 buisness strike coins minted. The present value ranges are $5.00 in good to $425 in MS60 to $4275 in MS65 in the trends in early 2001
The 1920 S mint had 9,689,000 buisness strike coins minted. The present value ranges are $3.50 in good to $365 in MS60 to $15,750 in MS65 in the trends in early 2001.
The 1921 P mint had 10,663,000 buisness strike coins minted. The present value ranges are $2.00 in good to $110 in MS60 to $700 in MS65 in the trends in early 2001
The 1921 S mint had 1,557,000 buisness strike coins minted. The present value ranges are $32 in good to $1500 in MS60 to $5800 in MS65 in the trends in early 2001.