1917 S 5C Buffalo Nickel NGC XF Details Environmental Damage Coin

Product Description

A 1917 S (San Francisco Mint) Buffalo nickel graded Extremely Fine (XF) Details (Environmental Damage) by NGC. This piece displays an original light golden/grey nickel color/tone with some light luster, minor environmental damage visible on the reverse and excellent visible details. The total mintage for this date/mint mark: 4,193,000. Please view our photos for additional information and ask any questions prior to purchase.

The Buffalo nickel (sometimes referred to as the ‘Indian Head’ nickel) was a five cent denomination strike minted from 1913 to 1938. Designed by James Earle Fraser, the buffalo nickel was one such type coin that ushered in a ‘beautification’ to American coinage as proposed by president Theodore Roosevelt. The obverse features a native american’s bust facing right and was conceived through several composite sketches of various individuals. The reverse is long believed to be the portrait of Black Diamond, an American bison housed at the Central Park Zoo in New York City. Heavy circulation of these coins caused many of the dates to wear off. In particular, the date was struck well above the height of the high relief design leading to premature wear of the nickel’s date. The Buffalo Nickels parameters’ were set at: Composition of .750 copper and .250 nickel, a total weight of 5 grams and a diameter of 21.2 mm with a plain edge.