The Buffalo nickel paired James Earle Fraser's Indigenous portrait with an American bison from 1913 through 1938. A first-year reverse revision, three-mint production, worn dates, variable strikes, and celebrated die varieties give the series several distinct collecting paths.
This guide covers both 1913 reverse types and all cataloged Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco issues through 1938. Liberty Head and Jefferson nickels remain separate series.
Core specifications
- Issue period
- 1913–1938
- Catalog mints
- 3
- Reported catalog mintage
- 1,212,916,543
- Composition
- 75% Copper - 25% Nickel
- Diameter
- 21.2 mm
- Weight
- 5 g
A sculptural redesign made for everyday change
James Earle Fraser brought an Indigenous portrait and an American bison to the five-cent coin in 1913. The naturalistic design replaced the long-running Liberty Head nickel.
The first reverse placed the bison on a raised mound; a revised ground line followed in the same year. Exposed lettering and uneven strike quality later became part of how collectors evaluate surviving coins.
Obverse, reverse, and the details that identify the type
Confirm the major design, date, and mint mark before studying smaller die differences.
The main portrait and date
An Indigenous portrait faces right, with LIBERTY near the rim. The date sits on the shoulder and is one of the design's most exposed identification points.
Denomination, subject, and mint mark
An American bison stands on either a raised mound or a flatter ground line above FIVE CENTS. The mint mark, when present, appears below the denomination.
Where the cataloged coins were made
Totals are calculated from reported issue records in this catalog; unknown figures are not counted as zero.
- P — Philadelphia: 1913, 1914, 1915, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1919, 1920, 1921, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937; 919,381,929. Philadelphia issues commonly carry no P mint mark in classic series; confirm the expected blank area rather than searching for a letter.
- D — Denver: 1913, 1914, 1915, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1919, 1920, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938; 175,118,614. Confirm the D mint mark together with its expected year, position, and issue format.
- S — San Francisco: 1913, 1914, 1915, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1919, 1920, 1921, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1935, 1936, 1937; 118,416,000. Confirm the S mint mark together with its expected year, position, and issue format.
Representative issues that explain the series
A two-coin 1913 type set tells the design story efficiently. Date-and-mint collectors can then weigh branch-mint scarcity, strike quality, readable dates, and cataloged varieties such as doubled dies and the Three-Legged bison.
- 1913 P — 30,993,520. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
- 1913 S — 1,209,000. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
- 1916 P — 63,498,066. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
- 1918 D — 8,362,314. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
- 1926 S — 970,000. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
- 1937 D — 17,826,000. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
Start with the major type, then study smaller die differences
The current catalog records 7 varieties. A variety name describes repeatable die features; it does not automatically mean error, rarity, or added value.
The issue catalog keeps all 7 modeled varieties attached to their parent issue records.
Issue catalog
From one type coin to a complete catalog
- One representative coin: Choose one problem-free, readable example and learn the size, edge, and major design.
- Major-type set: Use one coin per major design to show changes in artwork, composition, or production.
- Dates and mints: Work through the issue catalog by date and mint, defining special finishes separately.
- Variety study: Choose one date or diagnostic family and record several matching markers for every attribution.
A note on catalog records
This page uses 64 issue records, 7 modeled varieties, and currently reported mintages; unknown values remain unknown.
Sources
- Nickel: Designs and History — United States Mint
- Buffalo Nickel category reference — PCGS CoinFacts