1913-1938 Buffalo Nickels

Information on the Buffalo Nickel Series:

In 1911, Treasury Secretary Franklin MacVeagh hired designer James Earle Fraser to design the new nickel.   The Buffalo Nickel is also known as the Indian Head Nickel and Bison Nickel.

Fraser featured a profile of a Native American on the obverse of the coin.  The profile design came from a composite portrait of three Native Americans:  Iron Tail, an Olga Sioux chief, Two Moons, a Cheyenne chief, and Big Tree, a Kiowa chief.   On the reverse a buffalo was portrayed.  The bison was supposedly modeled after Black Diamond from the New York Central Park Zoo.

Soon after the release of the Buffalo Nickel in 1913, it became apparent that the reverse design was problematic.  The 'FIVE CENTS' inscription was on a raised mound at the bottom of the reverse.  It was one of the highest spots on the coin and wore away very quickly.  The design was modified by Charles Barber during the first year of production.  Barber removed the raised mound and lowered the relief of the inscription.  Therefore, in 1913, there are two varieties of the Buffalo Nickel known as: FIVE CENTS on Raised Ground and FIVE CENTS in Recess.  A design flaw that was overlooked was similar to the raised  FIVE CENTS inscription.  The date on Buffalo Nickels is also placed in relief which has exposed it to heavy wear.  This issue was never addressed by the US Mint, therefore, many Buffalo Nickels have their date partially or  completely worn due to circulation.

Another interesting variety of the Buffalo Nickel was produced in 1937.  The 1937-D "3-legged" Buffalo Nickel from the Denver Mint is a very rare variety.  In this variety the Buffalo's right foreleg is missing in error.  This was produced when the leg was accidentally ground off in the process of removing undesirable marks from the die.