1919 Buffalo Nickel
Strike Type
Coin Details
Value Estimates
Values as of May 2026, from published price guides and, in some cases, recorded auction sales. For most coins the range runs from a well-worn example (around G-4) to an uncirculated one, but individual coins can sell for more or less depending on grade, eye appeal and demand. Compare recent sales of similar coins for a closer estimate.
Auction Record
- Price realized
- $19,975
- Sold
- Grade
- MS67+
- Auction house
- Stack's Bowers
Description
A nickel from the Philadelphia Mint, the 1919 Buffalo Nickel belongs to the Buffalo Nickels 1913-1938 series. The U.S. Mint produced 60.9 million examples, making this the highest mintage among 3 variants, accounting for 80% of the year's production. 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. Coined at the Philadelphia facility, the nation's original mint that has operated continuously since its 1792 founding. Estimated market value ranges from $3 to $154 depending on grade and condition. Struck in 75% copper, 25% nickel, weighing 5 grams, 21.2 mm in diameter, with a plain edge. Cataloged as PCGS #3941.
External References
Error Varieties(9)
1919 Atypical Die Clash ADC-5C-1919-01
1919 Doubled Die Obverse DDO-001
1919 Doubled Die Obverse DDO-002
1919 Doubled Die Obverse DDO-003
1919 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-001
1919 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-002
1919 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-003
1919 Doubled Die Reverse WDDR-001
1919 Doubled Die Reverse WDDR-002
Other Strike Types in This Series
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