Numismatic

1913-D Type-II Buffalo Nickel AG (Partial Date)

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The year 1913 marked a significant transition in American coinage with the introduction of the Buffalo nickel. This particular Denver Mint issue represents the Type II design variation, a modification that altered how the coin's denomination was displayed on the reverse. Sculpted by James Earle Fraser, the coin offers a powerful visual narrative of the American West through its distinct obverse and reverse imagery. On the obverse, the profile of a Native American chieftain faces right, capturing a dignified and rugged portrait. The reverse displays a massive American bison standing firmly on a flat plain. This flat ground is the defining characteristic of the Type II variety, replacing the raised mound seen on the initial Type I coins of the same year. Below this flat horizon, the denomination is recessed to protect it from premature wear during circulation. Struck in a copper alloy, this Denver Mint specimen bears the "D" mint mark beneath the bison. Even in an Almost Good state with a partially visible date, the coin retains the essential character of Fraser's celebrated artwork, serving as a tangible connection to early twentieth-century American design.