Coins and Paper Money -> Coins – US -> Nickels -> Buffalo (1913-1938): 1913-19, 1920-29, 1930-38, Mixed Lots
The popular US coin called the Buffalo Nickel was only minted from 1913 to 1938, but it quickly became one of the most popular coins and certainly one of the most collectible. The Buffalo Nickel used to be very easy to find throughout the 1960’s, but after that point, availability dropped off sharply. This meant that these coins became very sought after and to this day finding a Buffalo Nickel is certainly cause for celebration.
The actual design on the coin is not really a buffalo, but rather a depiction of the American Bison. The front of a Buffalo Nickel features the face of a Native American. The designer, James Earle Fraser, used three historic Native American chiefs as a composite for this design, and the buffalo was placed on the back. It was his intention to create a coin that would be similar in style to the coins produced during ancient times and little did he know that his creation would become this popular.
Early copies of the Buffalo Nickel carry the words Five Cents on the back, and these are very rare indeed. Production on this particular design was halted once it was observed that the raised lettering would wear off quickly. For collectors, it is truly remarkable to come across one of the coins that was minted during this period, particularly if the words are still intact. Once the new design was released, the lettering was lowered, but oddly enough, the raised lettering on the date was not.
This led to yet another similar problem, but this was never actually fixed. Most Buffalo Nickels no longer have their date intact due to this problem, so it can be complicated to determine when exactly the coin was minted. However, many collectors feel that this backstory adds to the overall charm of the coin.
There was one error in the design that only appears on the coins that were minted during 1937. For some reason, the buffalo design was changed slightly and on these coins, it appears as though it only has three legs. When you add this to the fact that the coin would stop being circulated in less than a year, the 1937 edition is probably the most sought after edition.
Even though these coins were mass produced between the period of 1913 to 1938, finding one today is very rare. It is estimated that approximately 1 in every 25,000 nickels is a Buffalo Nickel, but many collectors would lower that further. This means that there is a big demand for those that collect this type of coin and you can typically find them only at auction or if a private collector decides to sell their collection.
The Buffalo Nickel was the inspiration for another coin that was recently released. The American Buffalo is a gold coin that takes many of its design cues from Fraser’s original. Although this may have more face value, to the collector of Buffalo Nickels, there is no replacement for the original.
Originally posted 2008-08-19 05:00:07. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Related Posts -
Finding Out if You Have Coins with Value All coin collectors will want to completely understand the value of their coin collection and will want to know if they have coins with value. Even those who do not want to sell their collection are going to want to work to understand their values of the purpose of insurance...... -
Starting a State Quarters Collection If you have an interest in coins or coin collecting, but you are not really sure where the place is to get started, why not consider starting your own unique state quarters collection? Collecting coins, especially starting a state quarters collection is a hot topic right now, at least as...... -
The Art of Ancient Coin Collecting Coins have been treated as a method of currency for as many as thousands of years now. Collecting these little pieces of ancient history has become an extremely popular past time among many people. For many people, the idea of ancient coin collecting has become a true passion as well...... -
Collecting Uncirculated Coins and Proof Coins The unique thing about coin collections is that there is a myriad of different ways to start a coin collection, and you can collect a wide variety of different coins or a small variety of very special coins depending on your interest. One of the options for coin collecting that...... -
Collecting Coins of the World Start with your pocket change Start out by studying coins you pull from your pockets, or failing that, some old coins from your attic, on your floor, or out in public. As a novice coin collector, it makes no sense to spend a lot of your money on coins if......
Related Websites -
Collecting Coins for Beginners When one is interested in coins to the point that they want to become a numismatist, or coin collector, there are many things they need to know. Some basis numismatic knowledge can help a new coin collector get their collection off to the right start. Knowing the basics can also...... -
The Soaring Value of Three Types of Eagle Collector Coins There are several different types of collector coins to choose from. If you are a person who is interested in collecting any of the eagle coins then you will wan to know more about the types of eagle coins which are collectable and increasing in value. Below is some detailed...... -
Good Coins to Start Your Coin Collection One of the things that make coin collecting so incredibly interesting is the sheer wealth of different coins that you can add to your coin collection. Currencies from around the world provide thousands of different types of coins that can be collected. It can be difficult to find the coins...... -
A Brief History of Old Canadian Coins Numismatists enjoy getting to know the history of any coins. This is why those interested in collecting Canadian coins are interested in getting the oldest coins possible as well as the rarest. As the history of the old Canadian coins is looked into, many are shocked to find out that...... -
Tips for Looking For Gold Coins Every serious coin collector has a specific type of coin that they look for. Some look to collect the same type of coin across the currencies of different countries, like those who look to collect gold coins. There are plenty of coin collectors out there who are looking for gold......
- 1940s Popular, by decade Sheet Music Sheet Music & Song Books
- Beads, Beadwork 1600-1799 Native Americana Cultures, Ethnicities Collectibles
- Helmets Buffalo Bills Football-NFL Fan Apparel & Souvenirs Sports Collectibles
- 50 American Eagle Silver Bullion Coins & Paper Money
- Jefferson (1938-Now) Nickels Coins: US Coins & Paper Money
