Buffalo Nickel Mintage
In 1913 the U.S. Mint introduced the Buffalo or Indian Head Nickel. In the first year of 1913 two distinct types, or varieties, were produced. Type I had on the reverse the Buffalo standing on a mound with the date on the mound. Because of wear problems with this design it was changed to a flat plane and the date incused. The Buffalo Nickel was produced at all 3 mints which meant 6 different coins were available for the same year. The most notable and collectible of the Buffalo Nickels is the 1937-D 3 Legged nickel that happened when the polishing of a die at the Denver mint removed most of the right foreleg of the Buffalo creating a distinct variety. Double die varieties exist of several years including 1914, 1916, 1918.
Designed by James Earle Fraser, the Buffalo Nickel featured the profile of a Native American facing right on the obverse and on the reverse the Buffalo facing left.
No Buffalo Nickels were produced during 1922, 1932 or 1933. The Buffalo Nickel design is considered by many to be one of the best ever produced by the U.S. Mint and is very collectible.
Buffalo Nickel Mintage
| Philadelphia | Denver | San Francisco | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1913 Type 1 | 30,993,520 | 5,337,000 | 2,105,000 |
| 1913 Type 2 | 29,858,700 | 4,156,000 | 1,290,000 |
| 1914 | 20,665,738 | 3,912,000 | 3,470,000 |
| 1915 | 20,987,270 | 7,569,000 | 1,505,000 |
| 1916 | 63,498,066 | 13,333,000 | 11,860,000 |
| 1917 | 51,424,019 | 9,910,000 | 4,193,000 |
| 1918 | 32,086,314 | 8,362,000 | 4,882,000 |
| 1919 | 60,868,000 | 8,006,000 | 7,521,000 |
| 1920 | 63,093,000 | 9,418,000 | 9,689,000 |
| 1921 | 10,663,000 | 1,557,000 | |
| 1923 | 35,715,000 | 6,142,000 | |
| 1924 | 21,620,000 | 5,258,000 | 1,437,000 |
| 1925 | 35,565,100 | 4,450,000 | 6,256,000 |
| 1926 | 44,693,000 | 5,638,000 | 970,000 |
| 1927 | 37,981,000 | 5,730,000 | 3,430,000 |
| 1928 | 23,411,000 | 6,436,000 | 6,936,000 |
| 1929 | 36,446,000 | 8,370,000 | 7,754,000 |
| 1930 | 22,849,000 | 5,435,000 | |
| 1931 | 1,200,000 | ||
| 1934 | 20,213,003 | 7,480,000 | |
| 1935 | 58,264,000 | 12,092,000 | 10,300,000 |
| 1936 | 119,001,420 | 24,814,000 | 14,930,000 |
| 1937 | 79,485,769 | 17,826,000 | 5,635,000 |
| 1938 | 7,020,000 |