All Buffalo nickels have the designer’s initials on it regardless of the mint facility where it was manufactured. If your coin has a mint mark, it will be under the buffalo on the reverse (“tails”) side of the coin, below the words FIVE CENTS. If the Philadelphia mint produced the coin, there is no mint mark.
What’s on the other side of a buffalo nickel?
The buffalo on the reverse side of the Buffalo Nickel is a male North American bison. James Earle Fraser, the designer of the Buffalo Nickel, always said that the model for his buffalo was Black Diamond, a huge bison from the Bronx Zoo.
Where is the mint mark on a buffalo nickel?
D, S. Centered under “FIVE CENTS” on the reverse. Philadelphia Mint specimens lack mint mark. The Buffalo nickel or Indian Head nickel is a copper-nickel five-cent piece that was struck by the United States Mint from 1913 to 1938. It was designed by sculptor James Earle Fraser .
What was the controversy with the Buffalo nickel?
As was the case with many coins, the Buffalo Nickel was the subject of controversy before it even went into production. Several coin-operated machine manufacturers asked for more information to help them adapt their machines to the new coin.
Who is the Native American on the Buffalo nickel?
The Buffalo Nickel (sometimes called the Indian Head Nickel) is a U.S. five-cent coin that was designed by sculptor James Earle Fraser in 1912. It was part of the Mint’s campaign to beautify American coinage and featured a realistic portrait of a Native American on one side and an image of a buffalo on the other.
How long was the Buffalo nickel in circulation?
When the Buffalo nickel had been in circulation for the minimum 25 years, it was replaced with little discussion or protest. The problems of die life and weak striking had never been solved, and Mint officials advocated its replacement.
