The United States Mint introduced the Buffalo Nickel in 1913 as a replacement for the Liberty Head nickel, which had circulated since 1883. Sculpted by James Earle Fraser, the coin represented a move away from European-inspired designs and toward imagery rooted in American history and culture. This 1913-D Buffalo Nickel is an early Type II specimen in the series and features mostly untoned visuals with a muted, silver-gray surface. Today, the 1913-D Buffalo Nickel is available from JM Bullion.
Coin Highlights:
The 1913 Buffalo Nickel from the Denver Mint bears a small “D” mint mark and was also produced in both Type 1 and Type 2 varieties during that first year of issue. The Denver facility produced significantly fewer examples than Philadelphia, making these coins relatively scarcer, particularly in higher grades. The Type 1 Denver issue is especially prized by collectors due to its limited production run before the design modification occurred.
This 1913-D Buffalo Nickel is a Type II specimen from the series and boasts an MS64 certification. Coins with this grade can showcase several small contact marks in groups, with one or two heavier marks possible. This specific coin offers soft cartwheel luster that is even across the fields, with a clean, satin-like texture.
The obverse of the 1913-D Buffalo Nickel displays a right-facing profile of a Native American figure with braided hair and feathers. According to Fraser, the portrait was a composite created from three Native American men he knew: Iron Tail, Two Moons, and John Big Tree, though this claim remains a topic of debate. “LIBERTY” is inscribed to the left of the portrait, while the date is shown below.
The reverse design features an American bison standing on a mound, symbolizing the animals that once roamed the western plains. Fraser modeled the bison after Black Diamond, a resident of New York City’s Central Park Zoo. The denomination “FIVE CENTS” runs along the bottom, accompanied by “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” and “E PLURIBUS UNUM.”
Please contact JM Bullion with any questions about historic US copper coins. You can call us at 800-276-6508, chat with us online, or email us directly.

Ships Within 1 Business Day of Cleared Payment





Tracking and insurance included on all orders
The United States Mint introduced the Buffalo Nickel in 1913 as a replacement for the Liberty Head nickel, which had circulated since 1883. Sculpted by James Earle Fraser, the coin represented a move away from European-inspired designs and toward imagery rooted in American history and culture. This 1913-D Buffalo Nickel is an early Type II specimen in the series and features mostly untoned visuals with a muted, silver-gray surface. Today, the 1913-D Buffalo Nickel is available from JM Bullion.
Coin Highlights:
The 1913 Buffalo Nickel from the Denver Mint bears a small “D” mint mark and was also produced in both Type 1 and Type 2 varieties during that first year of issue. The Denver facility produced significantly fewer examples than Philadelphia, making these coins relatively scarcer, particularly in higher grades. The Type 1 Denver issue is especially prized by collectors due to its limited production run before the design modification occurred.
This 1913-D Buffalo Nickel is a Type II specimen from the series and boasts an MS64 certification. Coins with this grade can showcase several small contact marks in groups, with one or two heavier marks possible. This specific coin offers soft cartwheel luster that is even across the fields, with a clean, satin-like texture.
The obverse of the 1913-D Buffalo Nickel displays a right-facing profile of a Native American figure with braided hair and feathers. According to Fraser, the portrait was a composite created from three Native American men he knew: Iron Tail, Two Moons, and John Big Tree, though this claim remains a topic of debate. “LIBERTY” is inscribed to the left of the portrait, while the date is shown below.
The reverse design features an American bison standing on a mound, symbolizing the animals that once roamed the western plains. Fraser modeled the bison after Black Diamond, a resident of New York City’s Central Park Zoo. The denomination “FIVE CENTS” runs along the bottom, accompanied by “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” and “E PLURIBUS UNUM.”
Please contact JM Bullion with any questions about historic US copper coins. You can call us at 800-276-6508, chat with us online, or email us directly.