Numismatic

1938-D Buffalo Nickel BU

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The 1938 Denver Mint five-cent piece represents the final chapter of one of America's most celebrated circulating designs. Created by sculptor James Earle Fraser, this coinage series departed from traditional allegorical figures, choosing instead to honor the rugged beauty of the American West. This particular specimen survives in brilliant uncirculated condition, preserving the crisp details of Fraser's original vision just as it emerged from the coining presses. The obverse features a powerful, textured portrait of a Native American in profile, facing right. The word "LIBERTY" is inscribed along the upper right edge, and the year "1938" is clearly struck at the base of the neck. Fraser's design masterfully captures a sense of dignity and strength in the portrait's features and hair detail. On the reverse, a magnificent American bison stands atop a raised mound of earth. The Denver Mint's "D" mint mark is positioned directly below the mound, underneath the denomination "FIVE CENTS". Arcing above the bison are the inscriptions "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" and the motto "E PLURIBUS UNUM". With a mintage of 7,020,000, this coin is a fascinating specimen from the very end of a legendary era in United States coinage.