1928 Buffalo Nickel
Base
About This Coin
The 1928 Buffalo Nickel is a United States nickel from the Buffalo Nickels 1913-1938 series — 15th of 23 years in the series. In 1928, coins were struck at the San Francisco, Philadelphia, and Denver Mints with a combined mintage of 36.8 million. This ranks 8th of 23 years by total mintage, below the series median of 48.7 million. The obverse features a composite Native American portrait combining features of three real tribal chiefs — Iron Tail (Lakota), Two Moons (Cheyenne), and John Big Tree (Seneca) and the reverse displays an American bison (often called Black Diamond after the famous bison at the Bronx Zoo) standing on a mound. 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 identified one known die variety for this date (doubled die obverse). Produced 3 years before the celebrated 1931 key date. Across its variants, estimated values range from $2 to $929 depending on mint mark, grade, and strike type. A notable auction result reached $46K in MS67 grade at Heritage Auctions. Designed by James Earle Fraser.
Value Estimates
Values as of May 2026 — range across all strike types, reflecting typical grades (G-4 through MS-63). Coins in lower or exceptional grades may fall outside this range.
