1938 Buffalo Nickel

About This Coin

The 1938 Buffalo Nickel is a United States nickel from the Buffalo Nickels 1913-1938 series. 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), while the reverse displays an American bison (often called Black Diamond after the famous bison at the Bronx Zoo) standing on a mound. Designed by James Earle Fraser. Struck in 75% copper, 25% nickel, weighing 5 grams, 21.2 mm in diameter, with a plain edge. Produced at the Denver, Philadelphia, and San Francisco Mints. James Earle Fraser's Buffalo Nickel is an iconic celebration of the American West, featuring a composite Native American portrait on the obverse and a bison on the reverse. Fraser drew from his childhood experiences growing up on the frontier. The 1913 Type I shows the bison on a raised mound; the Type II (later 1913 and all subsequent years) moved the bison to a flat plain and recessed the denomination to reduce wear. The 1913-S Type II, 1918/7-D overdate, 1926-S, and the legendary 1937-D "Three-Legged Buffalo" (a dramatic die-polishing error) are highlights.