Whenever you hear the term US Mint Gold coins, the American buffalo is a sure short mention. It was and prominently is a crowd favorite for its investment value and potential growth. However, this article will address its original creation, the Buffalo Nickel, precisely discussing the 1927 Buffalo Nickel value, its errors, value, and variations.
Hang on with us while we decipher the 1927 Indian head Buffalo Nickel and why its value can go as high as $24,000!
In 1904, President Theodore Roosevelt expressed disappointment on the American coin designs. This was taken care by Augustus Saint-Gaudens until 1907.
In 1911, Treasury Secretary Franklin MacVeagh commissioned the redesign of the Liberty Head Nickel.
Saint-Gaudens successor, James E. Fraser took over the responsibility and designed a new Five Cent coin, the Buffalo Nickel.
On March 14, 1913, the new Buffalo Nickel came into circulation and became the face of American coinage.
1916 issue experienced modifications to strengthen the date and details, while from 1921-1925, regular minting of the Nickels was stopped due to economic factors.
1918 and 1935 were the years when two popular error were introduced to the world.
The legendary Buffalo Nickel and James Earle Fraser’s design was officially retired from circulation in 1938, after 25 years.
The Jefferson Nickel succeeded the Buffalo Nickel in October 1938.
Since then, the coin has been an investor and collectors favorite for not only is value, but also its historical importance.
The US Mint, introduced the Gold Buffalos in 2006, to continue the legacy and are issued annually since then.
Obverse: Native American Indian Chief with braided hair and “LIBERTY. 1927” inscribed.
Reverse: American Bison standing with its head down along with inscriptions: “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. E PLURIBUS UNUM. FIVE CENTS” and the mintmark.
Composition: Copper-nickel alloy
Dimensions: Diameter of 21.2 mm and thickness of 1.95 mm.
Year Issued: 1927
Face Value: Five Cents ($0.05)
Determining the 1927 Buffalo nickel value includes factors like mintmark, condition, and errors. This nickel was struck in the US Mint facilities of Philadelphia, Denver, and San Fransisco.
Let’s discuss them in detail:
The coins that are struck at the Philadelphia Mint generally lack a mintmark. The Philadelphia Mint struck a total of 37,981,000 coins in 1927.
The circulated condition coins from the Philadelphia Mint can fetch you from $0.45 to $25.
The Mint State (MS) condition coins from MS60 to MS66 can be worth $55 to $650.
Grades above MS66 can bring a value of $4,000 and as high as $24,000 (MS67+ Nickel sold in 2019).
In 1927, the Philadelphia Mint also introduced Special strikes nickels that were struck from chromium-plated dies. Only five of them were struck and NGC certified three before selling them in coin show to Jim Halperin.
Your jaw will drop after knowing how much is a 1927 buffalo nickel worth. In 2009, a SP 65 graded nickel was sold at a staggering $47,150.
The mintmark of the Denver mint is inscribed on the reverse below the denomination. The Denver Mint struck coins with the mintmark “D” were a total of 5,730,000 in number.
Circulated coins with signs of wear can be worth $2 to $88, while AU coins have values from $100 to $155.
Uncirculated coins from MS60 to MS64 can fetch you $350 to $1,250, while MS65 grades value $4,750.
Grades above MS65 are highly expensive, with values ranging anywhere from $25,000 to $46,000 (selling prices).
1927 S Nickel is the coin struck at the San Francisco facility of the US Mint. The San Francisco mintage of the coins was only 3,430,000, which increased the 1927 buffalo nickel value.
• The circulated nickels can be worth between $1.25 to $115, while the AU coins can bring $180 to $510.
• For Uncirculated (MS60 to MS65), grades have values from $1050 to as high as $17,500.
• The higher the grades, the higher the value they fetch. Estimated range of price for Nickel with MS66+ grade is from $65,000 to $80,000.
• However, records show a high graded coin was sold at a jawdropping $125,350 in 2008.
| Condition | Meaning | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Uncirculated (MS60-MS67) | The coin retains all the original mint luster and design with no flaws whatsoever. | $21 to $185 |
| Extremely Fine | The coin is circulated but for a short time. It has all the details with very minimal signs of wear. | $12 to $95 |
| Fine | The coin has been circulated and displays some wear and damage near the effigy’s cheekbone and bison’s front legs. | $2.50 to $7 |
| Good | The coin has the roughest condition of all. These coins were circulated for a long time and have considerable wear and damage. | $1.25 to $2.50 |
When considering the 1927 Buffalo Nickels, there are four main recognizable errors. These errors are manufacturing defects that are uncommon and contribute in determining how much is a 1927 buffalo nickel worth.
The Two feathers error is typical for Buffalo Nickels which depicts two feathers instead of three on the hair of the Indian Chief. This error coin can fetch values from $400 to $2,280, which are the prices a coin was sold at in 2017 and 2021, respectively.
This error was observed on the Denver mint struck nickels. As the moniker, this error includes a 3 ½ legged bison on the reverse. This error coins can fetch values from $80 to $660 and those in AU grades can bring from $700 to $1,200. Furthermore, the uncirculated pieces can give values from $2,500 to $6,000 and as high as $7,475.
The Double Die error can occur, both on the reverse and obverse. It signifies that the design on either side was struck twice. In the 1927 Buffalo nickels, this error was observed in the San Francisco struck coins. The values for this error coins can go as high as $840 (sold in a Auction, 2019).
The Repunched mintmark as the name suggests is a error that displays the mintmark struck twice on the same coin. This error is uncommon and can occur with any mintmark. The auction price of this coin is higher than its estimated which is $200.
There is everything you needed to know about the 1927 Buffalo nickel value, its influencing factors, and mint variations. Collectively, the buffalo nickel is an valuable coin from the series regardless of the year of mintage. These nickels are a crowd favorite and can easily be sold incase you happened to hold one.
The US Mint continued the Buffalo Nickel legacy with the American Gold Buffalo coins containing .9999 pure gold content. Get your Gold Buffalos - a piece of history from BOLD today!
Affiliations
Copyright BOLD Precious Metals 2026
