Poor (PO-1): Also known as Basal State, these coins are hardly recognizable and often large parts of the design and/or date are missing.Sold for $660 via Jackson’s International (May 2011).Ĭondition is one of the main determinants of a nickel’s value, and a rigorous system of grading coins is used. 1918/7-D, indicated by an “8 over 7” overdate that is clearly visible.1913-S Type 2, featuring a distinct line under the artwork on the reverse.Other key dates for Buffalo nickels include: Those from the first few years of minting that are carefully preserved are highly sought after. While, generally speaking, Buffalo nickels tend to be rarer and more valuable the older they are, age is not the singular defining factor of the Buffalo Nickel’s value. Those in outstanding condition, naturally, can be worth more than those in poor condition. Today, it is extremely popular amongst collectors. coins with a design that depicted scenes of the country’s historical roots-one side featured a Native American and the other featured a buffalo standing atop a natural landscape.
#US LIBERTY COINS 1926 USED SERIES#
The Buffalo nickel series was minted for 25 years, and serves as an icon of American coinage.
Sold for $126,500 via Heritage Auctions (January 2007). Buffalo Nickel Series (1913)ġ918 Buffalo nickel. Otherwise, the value of a V Nickel depends largely on its scarcity and date-an 1889 V Nickel in good condition can be priced around $10, while fair market value for an 1885 V Nickel in uncirculated condition can be upwards of $1,500. Today, these nickels are worth millions of dollars. It is believed that he used coin dies in case the dies for the Buffalo nickel were not ready for production in time. In 1913, a Mint employee produced five Liberty Head nickels. This omission led to two varieties in the first year of production. The Mint added the word “cents” to the reverse of the coin after some started to gold-plate the coin and pass them off as five dollar gold pieces. Barber was tasked with creating the design, and large quantities were produced for nearly thirty years. Its history is rich with production errors and scandals. The Liberty Head nickel is often referred to as the “V” nickel because of its reverse design. In 1866, President Andrew Johnson approved a bill authorizing the coinage of five-cent pieces composed of nickel and copper. Because nickel wasn’t a precious metal, people weren’t interested in hoarding it. War production, however, had expanded America’s industrial capacity, and more common metals such as nickel were readily available in large quantities. Without coinage, it was impossible to make simple daily transactions like buying groceries and sending mail.Īfter the war ended in 1865, it took months for precious metals to file back into circulation. Coins nearly vanished overnight, and the Mint didn’t have enough resources in gold and silver to keep up with demand.
Widespread panic led to the hoarding of money, especially precious metals like gold and silver. In 1861, when Southern states began seceding from the Union and the Civil War was underway, America and its currency were in crisis. The history of the nickel dates back to the American Civil War.