Numismatic

1917-D Buffalo Nickel XF

---

The 1917 five-cent piece struck at the Denver Mint represents a classic era of American coinage design. Created by sculptor James Earle Fraser, this issue showcases a powerful profile of a Native American on its obverse, accompanied by the word LIBERTY and the year of mintage. The design captures a rugged, realistic portrait that departed from traditional idealized figures of liberty. On the reverse, a massive American bison dominates the field. This specific animal was modeled after Black Diamond, a famous resident of the Central Park Zoo. The beast is depicted standing on a raised mound of earth, with the inscriptions UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, E PLURIBUS UNUM, and the denomination FIVE CENTS framing the scene. A small D mint mark below the mound indicates its origin at the Denver facility.