Numismatic

1913 Type-I Buffalo Nickel Fine

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In 1913, the United States introduced a striking new five-cent piece that departed from traditional European-style imagery. Known as the Type I Buffalo Nickel, this initial version of the design showcases a distinct raised mound on the reverse, which was modified later in the same year. This particular specimen survives in Fine condition, offering a clear look at a brief and fascinating moment in American numismatic history. Designed by sculptor James Earle Fraser, the coin features a powerful portrait of a Native American facing right on the obverse. The word LIBERTY is inscribed along the upper right edge, and the year 1913 is positioned at the lower left. This design brought a deeply authentic American aesthetic to the nation's pocket change. The reverse of the coin features an American bison standing proudly on a raised mound of earth. The inscriptions read UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and the traditional motto E PLURIBUS UNUM above the animal, while the denomination FIVE CENTS is placed directly on the mound below. Because this coin was struck at the Philadelphia Mint, it does not bear a mint mark, leaving the space below the mound clean and uninterrupted.