James Earle Fraser was a popular artists and sculptor in the United States during the first two decades of the 20th century. He had completed many private works of art before the United States Mint tasked him with redesigning the appearance of the nation’s five-cent piece. His iconic Buffalo Nickel design is alive today on the nation’s first-ever 24-karat gold coin. The 2016 1 oz American Gold Buffalo is available right now from JM Bullion.
Coin Highlights:
- 10th anniversary of the Gold Buffalo program.
- Ships to you in a plastic slab courtesy of the PCGS.
- Contains 1 oz of .9999 pure gold.
- Issued a face value of $50 (USD) by the United States government.
- Graded Mint State 70 by the Professional Coin Grading Service.
- Design inspired by James Earle Fraser.
James Earle Fraser was born and raised in Winona, Minnesota, and grew up on the prairies of the American Midwest. His upbringing in this simple region of the nation gave him inspiration for designs and sculptures that eventually found a home on the American nickel.
Fraser was commissioned in 1913 to redesign the imagery on the American five-cent piece. His Buffalo Nickel design used a combination of facial features from three prominent Native American tribal leaders of the day, as well as a bison from the Central Park Zoo named Black Diamond. The Buffalo, or Indian Head, Nickel was in circulation from 1913 to 1938.
The 2016 American Gold Buffalo coins available for purchase right now on JM Bullion are perfect specimens according to the PCGS. MS70 coins have their full, original luster from the mint and exhibit no detracting flaws of any kind.
On the obverse is the right-profile portrait of a tribal leader, with the word “Liberty” engraved on the right-hand side. This image appears just as it did on Fraser’s Buffalo Nickel. The reverse includes the image of Black Diamond, as well as the coin’s weight, metal content, face value, and purity.
All American Gold Buffalo coins are struck by the United States Mint at its West Point Mint facility, the same facility tasked with producing the American Silver and American Gold Eagle bullion coins.
Please direct your questions to a JM Bullion associate at 800-276-6508. Alternatively, you can connect with us online using our live chat and email features.