Buffalo Nickel Set Value Guide

The Buffalo Nickel Set captures the final three years of one of America's most artistically significant coins, minted from 1936 to 1938. Designed by James Earle Fraser to honor the American frontier, these copper-nickel alloy coins are highly collectible for their evocative imagery of a Native American chief and an American bison.

What Is Buffalo Nickel Set Worth?

The typical price range for Buffalo Nickel Set is $25 - $25 based on recent sales. However, values can vary depending on the item's condition, rarity, and other factors such as:

• Legibility of the date, which was prone to rapid wear due to the high-relief design.
• The presence of a mint mark, specifically the 'D' for Denver or 'S' for San Francisco on 1936-1937 issues.
• Overall strike quality and the level of detail remaining on the bison's horn and tail.
• The preservation of the original luster on these final-year mintage specimens.

How to Identify Buffalo Nickel Set?

• Verify the presence of the 1936, 1937, and 1938 dates on the obverse below the Native American profile.
• Check for the 'D' mint mark on the 1938 coin, as the Denver Mint produced the only Buffalo Nickels that year.
• Examine the reverse for the American bison standing on a raised mound or flat ground line.
• Ensure the material is the authentic copper-nickel alloy used during the late 1930s mintage.

History of Buffalo Nickel Set

The Buffalo Nickel, also known as the Indian Head Nickel, was minted from 1913 to 1938. Designed by James Earle Fraser, the coin features a Native American chief on the obverse and an American bison on the reverse, symbolizing the vanishing American frontier. The design was popular but proved problematic for coinage due to rapid wear on the date and denomination. The coins in this set represent the final years of this iconic American coinage.