Buffalo Nickels
Buffalo nickels are five-cent American coins .They are called buffalo nickels due to the bison on the reverse side of the coins. This famous nickel was designed by master sculptor James Fraser. On the front side of the nickel there is a picture of an Indian American man.
Old buffalo nickels were minted from 1913 to 1938.Mintage numbers decide the value of the buffalo nickels. The Type I buffalo nickels were minted in the first half of 1913.The Type II buffalo nickels were minted in the latter half of 1913. The Type II buffalo nickel has a buffalo standing on a flat ground. The Type I buffalo nickel on the other hand has the buffalo standing on a raised mound.
There is also a 3 and half legged buffalo coin from 1936.Another rare buffalo nickel is 1916-P doubled die obverse. The buffalo coins with a readable date have at least 7 times their face value. There is also a rare buffalo nickel with a three legged buffalo from 1937 .Some of these buffalo nickels called as key dates have a very high value.
In 2005, after a gap of 67 years, new buffalo nickels were introduced. The new buffalo nickels have the image of Thomas Jefferson on the obverse. It has the word `liberty` written alongside, with the President`s own handwriting. The uncirculated buffalo nickels are also sold by the mint with a premium of about twice the face value of the nickel.