How To Sell Buffalo Nickels (1913–1938) for Top Prices
The Correct Steps for Selling Buffalo Nickels
Dec 15th, 2025 · 5 Minute Read
How to sell Buffalo nickels: Start by inventorying your Buffalo nickels, noting key dates, mintmarks, and condition, and have them professionally appraised or graded to establish accurate value. Then, compare offers from reputable buyers, prioritize secure transactions, and choose the option that provides the highest return.
Getting the best price when selling Buffalo nickels involves more than simply listing them for sale; you must identify rare or high-grade pieces, understand their value, and choose the right selling method.
Careful preparation, including evaluating key dates and mintmarks and securing professional appraisals, ensures you get the most for your collection.
This guide takes you through the entire process step by step so you can approach potential sales with confidence and maximize your return.
Whether you’re simply interested in knowing how much your coins are worth or you’re ready to sell Buffalo nickels in your collection, Coinfully makes it easy with free coin appraisals, top-market offers, and fast payments.
Table of Contents
Get a Numismatic Appraisal From Coinfully To Determine Buffalo Nickel Value
A professional numismatic appraisal is essential because it reveals the true market value of your Buffalo nickels, identifies any rare varieties, and helps you avoid underselling valuable pieces.
It also provides clarity on condition, demand, and pricing so you can make informed decisions with confidence. Coinfully delivers this with unmatched transparency and zero pressure.
Concierge At-Home Appraisal Service
For qualifying collections, Coinfully offers a concierge-level at-home appraisal that no traditional coin dealer can match. A numismatic expert travels to your home, free of charge, to evaluate your Buffalo nickels in person, answer questions, and walk you through each coin’s value.
You’re never rushed, and you’re never obligated to sell. If you do choose to move forward, payment is issued on the spot through a secure method of your choosing.
Free No-Obligation Online Appraisals
For smaller collections, Coinfully’s free online appraisal is ideal and quite convenient. Simply send clear photos and details, and one of our professional numismatists will provide a transparent valuation explaining exactly how the numbers were determined.
There is no pressure to sell, ever. We’ll provide education about your coins, expert insight, and a detailed understanding of what your Buffalo nickels are worth, and if you choose not to sell, that’s fine.
How To Sell Buffalo Nickels
Selling Buffalo nickels for top value begins with understanding the coin’s condition, rarity, and significance and then taking methodical steps to accurately assess and present each coin.
Following a structured process ensures you maximize your return while protecting your collection from loss or undervaluation.
Inventory Your Collection and Identify Buffalo Nickels Worth Money
Start by organizing your collection, noting the date and mintmark for each Buffalo nickel. Identify rare coins or highly prized dates. If you’re very lucky, you might even find a 1937-D three-legged buffalo coin.
Separating common Buffalo nickels from valuable varieties helps prioritize which coins merit professional appraisal and careful sale, ensuring you focus time and effort on the most profitable pieces.
Have Coins Appraised and Graded
A professional grading service or professional numismatist can assess coin condition and provide a reliable grade of the coin, which is essential for securing maximum value.
Accurate grading transforms subjective perception into verifiable value, increasing trust and potential sale price. Certified coins command higher offers, particularly for uncirculated or key-date Buffalo nickels.
Decide Where To Sell Your Buffalo Nickels
Different venues, including dealers, auctions, marketplaces, and collectors, offer distinct advantages and risks. Selling to a coin dealer or through professional channels ensures fair evaluation and secure transactions.
Avoid casual or uninformed buyers for rare coins, as these venues will almost certainly result in low prices.
Gather Multiple Offers and Compare Quotes, Fees, and Terms
Obtain offers from several sources to compare pricing, transaction fees, and payment terms. Careful comparison ensures you avoid undervaluation and hidden costs.
Take note of how offers account for coin condition, certification, and rarity. This strategy maximizes your proceeds and provides leverage when negotiating with buyers.
Complete a Secure Transaction
Always finalize sales through secure channels with insurance or verified payment. For in-person sales, make sure to research the buyer and make sure they have a good reputation for such transactions. When shipping, use fully insured, tracked services.
Proper handling protects both seller and buyer, ensuring your Buffalo nickels arrive safely and payment is received without risk.
Where To Sell Buffalo Nickels
In order to sell Buffalo nickels at a fair price, you need to choose a venue that balances security, convenience, and competitive pricing. Each option has pros and cons, so understanding the risks and benefits is key to ensuring you receive the best possible value for your coins.
Sell Buffalo Nickels to Coinfully
Coinfully offers a secure, transparent, and professional way to sell Buffalo nickels and other collectible U.S. coins. Our process eliminates risk by combining expert coin appraisals, concierge-level service, and insured transactions.
Sellers benefit from top-of-market offers, immediate payment, and guidance from experienced American numismatic specialists, making Coinfully the safest and easiest option for selling high-value coins.
Whether you wish to sell Buffalo nickels, sell gold coins, sell Morgan dollars, sell silver coins, or sell an entire coin collection, we’re here to help.
Local Coin Shops and Dealers
Local coin shops provide immediate access to buyers and the chance to see offers in person.
However, small dealers may lack experience with rare Buffalo nickels, offer lower prices, or have limited knowledge of coin and bullion markets. Sellers must carefully vet dealers to avoid undervaluation or misrepresentation of their coins.
Online Marketplaces and Platforms
Web-based platforms allow sellers to reach a wide audience quickly, but they carry risks such as fraud, shipping damage, or disputes over coin condition.
Sellers must ensure secure payment, properly insure shipments, and accurately describe coins, especially nickel coin varieties with subtle differences that affect value.
Coin Auctions
Auctions can generate competitive bids for rare Buffalo nickels that often result in high returns. However, fees, commissions, and unpredictable bidding can reduce final proceeds. Timing, market conditions, and proper listing of the coins’ condition are critical to maximizing results.
Coin Shows
Coin shows offer face-to-face selling opportunities to collectors and dealers. However, although you can network and potentially negotiate higher prices, shows carry risks such as theft or pressure tactics.
Sellers must stay vigilant, verify buyers’ credentials, and know the value of Buffalo nickels in their collection before negotiating.
Private Investors
Selling to private investors can be lucrative for high-demand or valuable Buffalo nickels, but risks include misrepresentation or lack of formal guarantees. Establishing trust, using secure payment methods, and confirming coin authenticity are essential to avoid loss or underpayment.
A Quick Look at the History of the Buffalo Nickel (Indian Head Nickel)
The Buffalo nickel was minted in the U.S. from 1913 to 1938 as part of a broader modernization of American coinage.
Designed by James Earle Fraser, the obverse features the profile of a Native American believed to be based on the combined features of several native American chiefs, supposedly Chief Iron Tail, Chief Two Moons, and Chief Big Tree.
The reverse depicts an American buffalo standing on a raised mound (technically, it is an American bison), conveying a sense of strength and dignity. The words “E PLURIBUS UNUM” are found just above the buffalo’s back.
Over its production run, the coin, also known as an Indian Head nickel, became a highly collectible piece of American numismatic history, treasured for its artistry, historical significance, and enduring popularity among collectors.
Many consider it to be one of the most iconic United States coins of the 20th century.
What Is the Value of a Buffalo Nickel?
Understanding Buffalo Nickel Value
The value of Buffalo nickels can vary dramatically. Many circulated Buffalo nickels are worth just a few cents over their five cents face value, especially common dates or worn pieces.
However, Buffalo nickels in excellent condition, rare dates, and coins with unique minting errors can be worth a fortune, attracting many collectors and commanding thousands of dollars.
The wide Buffalo nickel coin value range reflects factors such as condition, rarity, historical significance, and market demand, which makes appraisal and accurate grading essential for sellers.
Buffalo Nickel Melt Value
Buffalo nickels are composed primarily of copper and nickel, which gives them minimal intrinsic metal value.
Even a coin in pristine condition has a melt value of only a few cents, which is far below its collectible worth. Rather than melt value, Buffalo nickel values lie in their historical and numismatic appeal rather than their precious metal content.
Factors That Determine Buffalo Nickel Coin Value
Buffalo nickels vary in value due to several interrelated factors, including age, rarity, condition, and historical importance.
Each element contributes to the coin’s desirability among collectors, and these distinctions explain why seemingly similar coins may differ drastically in market price.
Mintage Date
The year a Buffalo nickel was produced directly influences its rarity. Early issues, such as the 1913 Type 1 and Type 2, are particularly prized.
Later years with lower survival rates or coins from less common mints can also command higher prices. Rare dates often attract intense collector interest and can sell for exponentially more than everyday circulated pieces.
Mintmark
Mintmarks indicate origin and help collectors identify rarities. Coins struck at different branch mints vary in scarcity.
For example, nickels from the San Francisco Mint often have smaller production numbers, making them more valuable. You’ll find the mintmark on the coin’s reverse side, below the denomination “FIVE CENTS.”
- No mintmark = Philadelphia Mint
- S mintmark = San Francisco Mint
- D mintmark = Denver Mint
Mintage Numbers
The total number of coins produced in a given year affects rarity. Coins with lower production are inherently more difficult to find in high quality, which elevates their collectible value.
Scarce dates attract premium bids from enthusiasts and professional numismatists, while high-mintage coins are generally abundant and sell for modest amounts unless in exceptional condition.
Coin Condition and Grade
Condition is critical; wear, scratches, or cleaning can drastically reduce value. Coins with sharp details, particularly in the Native American profile and buffalo design, are much more desirable.
Grading services, such as NGC and PCGS, assign standardized grades, which help buyers assess quality. Higher grades preserve fine details such as facial features and fur texture, which directly influences market price.
Rarity and Key Dates
Certain Buffalo nickels are considered “key dates” due to limited numbers, survival rates, or historical interest. Examples include the 1918/7-D overdate and the 1937-D “three-legged” variety.
Such coins are rare in Mint State condition and consistently command significant premiums, with demand often exceeding supply at auctions or among private buyers.
Minting Errors
Minting anomalies, such as double dies, repunched dates, or misaligned strikes, create unique collection-worthy coins. Errors can be highly desirable, particularly if they are visually striking or unusual.
Coins with recognized anomalies often attract specialized collectors and can sell for much more than their standard counterparts, even if the coin would otherwise be a common date in circulated condition.
Buffalo Nickel Key Dates and Errors That Collectors Treasure
Certain Buffalo nickels stand out among collectors for their rarity, historical importance, or unique production quirks. Important dates often include low-mintage years or coins struck under unusual circumstances, while errors showcase intriguing mistakes from the minting process.
Both types are highly sought after and can command premiums far above common circulated examples.
Key dates include:
- 1913 Type 1 & Type 2
- 1913-S Type 2
- 1914-D/S
- 1916 Double Die Obverse
- 1918-S
- 1921-S
- 1924-S
- 1926-S
- 1931 S
Error coins include:
- 1914-P 4 over 3
- 1916 Double Die
- 1918/17-D Overdate
- 1935-P Doubled Die Reverse
- 1936-D Three and a Half Legs
- 1937-D Three Legs
- Off-Center Strikes
Trust Coinfully To Ensure the Best Price When Selling Buffalo Nickels
Buffalo nickels vary widely in value depending on condition, rarity, key dates, and minting errors. Proper appraisal, grading, and careful consideration of selling options are essential to maximize returns.
Coinfully combines expert numismatic knowledge with secure, convenient service and offers both free online and at-home appraisals for qualifying collections with no pressure to sell.
With transparent pricing, immediate payment, and concierge-level support every step of the way, Coinfully is the most trusted, stress-free way to sell your valuable Buffalo nickels and achieve the best possible price.
Contact Coinfully today to discover the true value of your coin collection and receive a market-leading offer.
Learn More About Selling Rare Coins
Wyatt McDonald President & Co-Founder of Coinfully. A student of numismatics and trained in the ANA Seminar in Denver, Wyatt is the face of Coinfully and a true expert. After spending a decade buying coins over the counter at a coin shop, he knew there had to be a better way, for everyone involved.
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