Last Updated on June 1, 2022
The Buffalo Nickel, as it’s commonly known, was produced from 1913 to 1938. It replaced the Liberty “V” nickel and preceded the Jefferson nickel that is in circulation today.
A recession in 1921 prompted the United States Mint to not strike any Buffalo nickels in 1922. Like many other denominations, production halted completely in this year.
These Copper Nickel coins had a value of just five cents. They depict a Native American on one side of the coin and a Buffalo on the other, hence the nickname, and were designed by James Earle Fraser.
Some Buffalo Nickels can be quite a rare and valuable coin to have as a collector. Take 1921 for example. While 10,663,000 Buffalo nickels were made at the Philadelphia mint, only 1,557,000 were struck in San Francisco, with none being made at the Denver mint that year.
As they are quite rare, a 1921 S Nickels in pristine, uncirculated condition could sell for as much as $22000. Making the 1921 S Nickel an incredibly exciting coin to have, especially if it’s in mint condition.
Of course, as with all coins of this age, it heavily depends on the condition of your coin to how much it is worth; it’s always best to get your coin professionally graded to get a fair price at auction.
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How can you tell if a nickel is rare?
It’s interesting to know that the dates on many Buffalo Nickels have worn off making them uncollectable. This is due to the fact that the date was on a raised portion of the design when it was first struck in 1913, it was a flaw that was soon corrected but led to the dates on many coins wearing off.
Unfortunately if the date is not present on the coin, the coin will not carry a numismatic premium as there is no way of knowing what year the coin is from.
To have a rare nickel of high value it must have a date (usually with low mintage), be in good condition (uncirculated coins fetch the highest price) and check to see if it has a mint mark; this may make it even more valuable.
Find Out How Much Is a 1922 Quarter Worth
Where is the mint mark on a Buffalo Nickel?
If you are wondering how to tell if you have the rarer San Francisco Buffalo Nickel, you will need to locate the mint mark. The mint mark “S” was placed on the reverse under the Buffalo by the San Francisco mint. The main mint in Philadelphia did not use a mintmark.
What year nickels are worth a lot of money?
While you may think $22,000 is a good price for such a small coin there are plenty of other nickels that fetch a high asking price. The estimated value of a Liberty Head V Nickel from 1913 is $3,737,500!
Other popular nickels from that time period among collectors include the 7-D Buffalo Nickel from 1918 with an estimated value of $350,750, another S Buffalo Nickel but this time from 1926 valued at $322,000 and the 1916 Buffalo Nickel with an estimated value of $281,750.
What is the value of an Indian Head Nickel?
The Indian Head Nickel or “Buffalo Nickel” as it’s commonly known was produced from 1913 to 1938. It replaced the Liberty “V” nickel and preceded the Jefferson nickel that is in circulation today.
The value of your Buffalo Nickel will largely depend on the year it was made, where it was minted and what condition it is in now. But a word of warning for budding collectors, nickels are especially susceptible to unscrupulous people trying to add a mint mark to a coin in order to increase its value.
It is therefore vital if you are looking to buy a rare coin to make sure a reputable coin dealer authenticates it first. Only buy from reputable sources and you can avoid ending up with a coin of little to no value.
