1917 Buffalo Nickel

About This Coin

The 1917 Buffalo Nickel is a United States nickel from the Buffalo Nickels 1913-1938 series. In 1917, coins were struck at the San Francisco, Philadelphia, and Denver Mints with a combined mintage of 65.5 million. The obverse features a Native American portrait that James Earle Fraser described as a composite of several chiefs, including Iron Tail (Lakota) and Two Moons (Cheyenne), and the reverse displays an American bison, traditionally identified as Black Diamond of New York's Central Park menagerie, standing on flat ground. Minted during and after World War I, as America emerged as a global power and experienced the prosperity of the Roaring Twenties. Struck in 75% copper, 25% nickel, weighing 5 grams, 21.2 mm in diameter, with a plain edge. Collectors have cataloged 8 known die varieties for this date across 3 categories, including doubled die obverse, doubled die reverse, typical die clash. Across its variants, estimated values range from $10 to $1.9K depending on mint mark, grade, and strike type. A notable auction result reached $138K in MS67 grade at Heritage Auctions. Designed by James Earle Fraser.