Numismatic

1916 Buffalo Nickel BU

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The 1916 five-cent piece stands as a remarkable example of early twentieth-century American coinage. Created by the renowned sculptor James Earle Fraser, this issue from the Philadelphia Mint showcases a powerful aesthetic that departs from traditional classical allegories, opting instead for themes deeply rooted in the American landscape and heritage. On the obverse, a detailed portrait of an American Indian faces right, accompanied by the word LIBERTY and the date 1916. A small letter F appears below the date, marking the designer's surname. The reverse presents a magnificent American bison standing atop a raised mound of earth. The inscriptions read UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and E PLURIBUS UNUM above the animal, while the denomination FIVE CENTS is positioned clearly below the mound. Struck at the Philadelphia Mint, these coins do not bear a mint mark. Surviving in Brilliant Uncirculated condition, this specific five-cent piece allows observers to appreciate the fine details of Fraser's textured design, from the braids in the hair to the rough coat of the bison, just as they appeared when the coin first left the press over a century ago.