2013 American Gold Buffalo

Every 2013 Gold Buffalo version

Three 2013 Gold Buffalos exist, all one ounce with a $50 face value. Bullion has no mint mark, 198,500 sold. The regular proof has a W mint mark, mirror fields and frosted design, with 18,584 struck. The reverse proof also carries a W, but the finish is flipped: frosted fields with shiny raised details, with 47,836 struck. Proofs came boxed with a certificate. Tilt the coin under a light and you'll see the difference at once. Reverse proofs and regular proofs each came in their own Mint packaging. Read the date and check the finish.

Quick answers

How much gold is in a 2013 Gold Buffalo?

Each coin contains its stated weight of pure gold: one troy ounce in the $50 coin. The alloy is 99.99% gold.

How many 2013 Gold Buffalos were made?

198,500 one ounce bullion coins plus 66,420 collector versions (proof, burnished and special finishes).

Is the 2013 Gold Buffalo worth more than its gold?

The bullion coin trades close to its metal value plus a dealer premium. Collector versions in their original packaging bring a small premium.

Is the Gold Buffalo legal tender?

Yes. Each size carries a face value ($50), but nobody spends them: the gold is worth far more than the face value.

2013 Gold Buffalo by the numbers

The Mint sold 198,500 one ounce bullion Gold Buffalos dated 2013. That ranks 9th lowest of the 19 bullion dates from 2006 to 2024.

Against the dates around it, 2013 bullion sales were 2 times the 2012 figure and 1.1 times the 2014 figure.

Collector versions dated 2013 add up to 66,420 coins across 2 versions. The scarcest is the 2013-W 1 oz proof at 18,584; the most plentiful is the 2013-W 1 oz reverse proof at 47,836.

What to check on yours

• Weigh and measure it. A genuine one ounce Gold Buffalo weighs 31.108 g and measures 32.7 mm; the fractional sizes are 3.11 g (1/10 oz), 7.776 g (1/4 oz) and 15.552 g (1/2 oz). Fakes are usually the wrong weight or the wrong thickness.
• Try a magnet. Gold is not magnetic, so a coin that sticks is not genuine. A coin that does not stick still needs the other checks.
• Look for the mint mark. Bullion strikes have none; proofs and burnished coins carry a small letter. A mirror field with frosted design means a proof, a soft satin look means burnished.
• Handle it by the edge and never clean it. Fingerprints, wiping and polishing leave marks that cost collector versions much of their premium.
• Keep the original capsule, box and certificate with collector versions. Coins that come with them are easier to sell and more likely to bring their full premium.

The reverse proof carries a collector premium for its one-year finish and anniversary link, even with its larger mintage. The regular 2013 proof, at 18,584, is actually the scarcer of the two and also earns a collector premium. Bullion coins trade for a small premium over metal value. Keep reverse proofs in their capsules, since the frosted fields show fingerprints and spots quickly. Collectors often buy the two 2013 proofs as a pair. Keeping both in their boxes makes a complete anniversary pair.

One ounce only and the reverse proof (2009 to 2015)

From 2009 the program settled into a simple pattern: a one ounce bullion coin and a one ounce proof each year, with no fractional sizes or burnished coins. Bullion demand was strong through these years, running from 180,500 to 250,000 coins in most of them, with 2012 the exception at 100,000. The coin itself didn't change at all, so the date and the finish are the only things that separate one year from the next.

Proof sales started high, at 49,306 in 2009 and 49,263 in 2010, then slid steadily. By 2012 they were under 20,000 and by 2015 they reached 16,591. The design never changed, so the proof's appeal rested on its finish and the W mint mark rather than any new artwork. Bullion buyers, meanwhile, treated every date as interchangeable, since each held the same ounce of pure gold. Collectors who wanted something different had to wait for the anniversary.

The one big event was 2013, the 100th anniversary of the Buffalo nickel. The Mint struck a reverse proof that year, with frosted fields and mirror-like raised details, the opposite of a normal proof. It sold 47,836 coins, far more than the 18,584 regular proofs that year. It's the only reverse proof Gold Buffalo in the program's first 19 years and the one collectors most often add to a basic date run. If you have a Gold Buffalo with frosted fields and shiny lettering, check the date: it should read 2013.

Mintage chart

Specifications

Frequently asked questions