Numismatic

1917 Buffalo Nickel VF

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The 1917 five-cent piece stands as a classic example of American coinage, capturing a rugged and distinctly national aesthetic. Sculptor James Earle Fraser designed this celebrated issue, replacing traditional allegorical figures with imagery deeply rooted in the American landscape. The obverse presents a powerful profile of a Native American, accompanied by the simple inscription of the word LIBERTY and the 1917 year of production. On the reverse, a massive American bison stands atop a raised mound of earth. This design element showcases the animal in profile, surrounded by the traditional national mottos. The inscriptions read UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and E PLURIBUS UNUM, with the face value of FIVE CENTS clearly marked along the bottom edge. Struck at the Philadelphia Mint, these particular copper-nickel coins do not bear a mint mark. Preserved in Very Fine condition, this specimen allows observers to appreciate the fine details of Fraser's artwork, from the texture of the braided hair to the contours of the bison's heavy frame.