Numismatic

1913-D Buffalo Nickel Type-I MS-66 PCGS

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In 1913, the United States introduced a bold new design for its five-cent piece, departing from the classic Liberty head to celebrate the imagery of the American West. This first-year issue, struck at the Denver Mint, represents the Type-I variety of the Buffalo Nickel series. The design features a realistic portrait of a Native American on the obverse and a powerful American bison standing on a raised mound on the reverse. This specific coin is an extraordinary survivor from a mintage of 5,337,000. It has been certified in an outstanding Mint State 66 (MS-66) condition, meaning it retains its original luster and sharp details just as it looked when it left the Denver coining presses in 1913. The Denver origin is marked by the letter D on the reverse, located just below the bison's mound. Because the raised mound on the Type-I design caused the denomination to wear away quickly in circulation, the mint modified the reverse later in 1913, making this original mound version a distinct and highly appreciated subtype for those exploring early twentieth-century American coinage.