3 Decades of Buffalo Nickels with a P&D Bison Nickel

The classic and beloved Buffalo Nickel was minted from 1913-1938, and this collection includes one coin from each of the three decades it was minted: 1910’s, 1920’s, and 1930’s. The coin was designed by famous sculptor James Earle Fraser. The beautiful design is a unique celebration of “Wild West” culture and heritage. The front is a composite portrait of three Native American chiefs: Iron Tail (a Sioux who fought against Custer at Little Bighorn and who was a star in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show), Two Moons (a Cheyenne who also fought at Little Bighorn), and movie star John Big Tree (a Seneca). The back features Black Diamond, a buffalo that was a star attraction at the New York Zoological Gardens. Most coins were worn or damaged in circulation or were destroyed by the U.S. government when the Jefferson Nickel was introduced in 1938, leaving few for today’s collectors. Also included is the American Bison Nickel that was issued only in 2005 to commemorate the 1804-1806 Lewis & Clark Expedition. It was part of the first series of commemorative Nickels in U.S. history. There is one coin from each U.S. Mint that made them for circulation: Denver (“D” mint mark above the date on the obverse) and Philadelphia (“P” mint mark).