Numismatic

1923-S Buffalo Nickel VF

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The 1923 five-cent piece struck at the San Francisco Mint represents a classic era of American coinage design. Crafted from copper, this specific issue has survived in Very Fine condition, showing the clear details of its iconic, textured artwork. James Earle Fraser designed the coin with a focus on capturing the spirit of the American West through realistic, native subjects rather than traditional allegorical figures. The obverse displays a powerful profile of an American Indian facing right, with the word LIBERTY and the date 1923 clearly visible. On the reverse, a large bison stands proudly on a raised mound. Below this mound, the denomination FIVE CENTS is accompanied by the small S mint mark, indicating its origin at the San Francisco facility. This coin stands as a remarkable example of early twentieth-century circulating art.