Numismatic

1918 Buffalo Nickel BU

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The 1918 five-cent piece stands as a classic representative of early twentieth-century American coinage. Struck at the Philadelphia Mint, this coin does not bear a mint mark, which distinguishes it from those produced at branch facilities. It represents a period when United States coinage underwent a major artistic renaissance, moving toward highly detailed, realistic depictions of American themes. On the obverse side, a dignified profile of a Native American man faces right. The design, created by sculptor James Earle Fraser, integrates the word LIBERTY along the upper right edge, with the year 1918 positioned at the lower left. Just below the date, the initial F denotes the designer's surname. The reverse side showcases a massive American bison standing atop a raised mound of earth. Positioned above the animal is the motto E PLURIBUS UNUM, while the denomination FIVE CENTS is clearly inscribed along the bottom border. This particular specimen is preserved in Brilliant Uncirculated condition, allowing the original textures and fine lines of both the portrait and the bison to remain exceptionally clear.