Numismatic

1929 Buffalo Nickel AU

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The 1929 five-cent piece stands as a classic representative of twentieth-century American coinage. This particular specimen survives in Almost Uncirculated condition, preserving the fine details of a design that departed from traditional allegorical figures to celebrate the heritage of the American West. On the obverse, the coin displays a powerful right-facing profile of a Native American. The simple inscription LIBERTY is positioned along the upper right rim, with the date 1929 clearly visible below the portrait's shoulder. This design was created by artist James Earle Fraser, who drew inspiration from real life to compose the iconic image. The reverse features a massive American bison, modeled after a famous animal named Black Diamond. The creature stands on a raised mound, filling the center of the coin. Surrounding this central figure are the inscriptions UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and the traditional motto E PLURIBUS UNUM, while the face value of FIVE CENTS is positioned at the very bottom. Minted in Philadelphia, this coin carries no mint mark, leaving the space below the denomination clean and unaltered.