1928 Buffalo Nickel Value Guide

The 1928 Buffalo Nickel is a quintessential piece of American numismatic history, featuring James Earle Fraser's iconic imagery of the American West. This specific year is highly collectible for its distinctive composite portrait of three Native American chiefs and the powerful depiction of the bison, Black Diamond.

What Is 1928 Buffalo Nickel Worth?

The typical price range for 1928 Buffalo Nickel is $10 - $20 based on recent sales. However, values can vary depending on the item's condition, rarity, and other factors such as:

• The presence of a mint mark, as San Francisco (S) and Denver (D) strikes often carry different premiums than Philadelphia issues.
• The clarity of the date and the bison's horn, which are the first features to wear down through circulation.
• Overall surface preservation and the presence of original mint luster, which can push values toward the higher end of the $10-$20 range.
• The strike quality, specifically the level of detail visible in the Native American's hair braid and the bison's tail.

How to Identify 1928 Buffalo Nickel?

• Verify the '1928' date located on the lower left of the Native American's shoulder on the obverse.
• Check for the designer's initial 'F' positioned just below the date.
• Inspect the reverse for the American bison standing on a mound, with 'FIVE CENTS' clearly visible at the bottom.
• Look for a mint mark (S or D) below the 'FIVE CENTS' text; if absent, the coin was minted in Philadelphia.

History of 1928 Buffalo Nickel

The Buffalo Nickel, designed by James Earle Fraser, was minted from 1913 to 1938. Its design aimed to capture the essence of the American West, featuring a composite portrait of three different Native American chiefs on the obverse and an American bison, believed to be the bison Black Diamond from the Bronx Zoo, on the reverse. The coin replaced the Liberty Head Nickel and was, in turn, replaced by the Jefferson Nickel. Its distinctive imagery makes it a popular coin among collectors.