1938 (D) 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
- $26,400
- Sold
- Grade
- MS68+
- Auction house
- Stack's Bowers
Description
The 1938 (D) Buffalo Nickel represents a Denver Mint issue from the Buffalo Nickels 1913-1938 series. With a mintage of 7.0 million, this is a less common issue. 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. Struck during the Great Depression, when mintages dropped sharply and the United States abandoned the gold standard in 1933. Coined at Denver's facility, which transitioned from processing Colorado gold rush metal to full-scale coin production in 1906. Estimated market value ranges from $12 to $100 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 #3984.
External References
Error Varieties(16)
1938-D Doubled Die Reverse WDDR-001 / DDR-001
1938-D Over Mint Mark OMM-004
1938-D Over Mint Mark OMM-005
1938-D Over Mint Mark WOMM-001 / OMM-001
1938-D Over Mint Mark WOMM-002 / OMM-002
1938-D Over Mint Mark WOMM-003 / OMM-003
1938-D Over Mint Mark WOMM-004
1938-D Repunched Mintmark RPM-001
1938-D Repunched Mintmark RPM-002
1938-D Repunched Mintmark RPM-003
1938-D Repunched Mintmark RPM-004
1938-D Repunched Mintmark RPM-005
1938-D Repunched Mintmark RPM-006
1938-D Repunched Mintmark RPM-007
1938-D Repunched Mintmark RPM-008
1938-D Repunched Mintmark RPM-009
Other Strike Types in This Series
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