Buffalo Nickel Value Chart — Key Dates, Rare Varieties & Collector Guide

The 1913-S Type 2 is the rarest regular-issue Buffalo nickel by mintage — only 1,209,000 were struck and most circulated heavily; a PCGS MS67+ example brought $84,000 at auction in August 2025. But the 1916 Doubled Die Obverse is the single most valuable Buffalo nickel overall — a major die variety with only about 200 authentic examples known across all grades. A PCGS MS64, the finest graded, set the variety's auction record at $281,750 in an August 2004 Bowers & Merena sale. The 1937-D 3-legged buffalo is the most famous Buffalo nickel error, with a PCGS MS66+ auction record of $99,875.

On the genuine 3-legged 1937-D, the buffalo's right front leg (the one closest to the viewer) is completely absent — polished away by an overzealous Mint worker who was trying to remove die gouges. The area where the leg should be is smooth and flat. On a fake, the leg has been ground or filed away — this typically leaves tool marks or an unnatural surface texture. Additionally, on the genuine 3-legged variety, you can often see a remnant of the leg at the belly — a slight bulge where it connects to the body. Always buy PCGS or NGC certified examples. Any claimed raw 3-legged should be treated as suspect.

$1.00–$2.00. Dateless Buffalo nickels — where the date has worn completely flat — have no numismatic premium regardless of what date might be underneath. The date sits on a raised mound that wears away first in circulation, producing the common dateless coins found in junk boxes at every coin show. Acid restoration (using a product called Nic-A-Date) can sometimes reveal a faint date, but acid-date coins are still only worth $2–$5 — far less than naturally readable examples of the same date.

Both types were struck in 1913 only. Type 1 (also called the Mound Type) has the denomination FIVE CENTS written on a raised mound on the reverse — the bison stands on a raised earth formation. Type 2 (the Line Type) has the denomination on a recessed line below the mound — the mound was removed after concerns that the denomination would wear away rapidly, as it did on Type 1. Both types were struck at Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco in 1913. After 1913, all Buffalo nickels are Type 2.

Investment decisions should be made with professional guidance — nothing here constitutes financial advice. The factual case for key-date Buffalo nickels is that they are universally recognized, liquid across the U.S. coin dealer network, and backed by transparent PCGS/NGC certified price discovery. Key dates in certified grades have historically maintained value across long time horizons. Common-date Buffalos in circulated grades trade at minimal premiums above face value and are primarily collected rather than invested. The 1937-D 3-legged buffalo has an unusually stable collector base given its famous story — demand from non-specialists keeps prices supported even in soft markets.

This value chart is checked periodically against the PCGS Price Guide and Greysheet, most recently in August 2026. For real-time prices, use the PCGS Price Guide at PCGS.com (updated monthly), recent eBay sold listings filtered to certified examples, and Heritage Auctions' free price archive. The FRC coin price guide covers the Buffalo nickel series alongside all major U.S. denominations. For a complete set checklist and population data, PCGS CoinFacts provides free access to survival estimates and auction records by date and grade.

The grade-by-grade chart above reflects typical retail value — what a normal, problem-free example in that grade generally sells for. Auction records, called out separately in the key-dates section and FAQ, are the single highest verified price ever paid for that variety, usually for an exceptional, top-population example with strong eye appeal or a notable pedigree. A coin's auction record is not what a typical collector should expect to pay, or receive, for a similarly graded piece — it represents the ceiling, not the market average.