1921 Buffalo Nickel
Circulation strike struck at the Philadelphia Mint · 10,663,000 made
- Mintage
- 10,663,000
- Metal
- 75% copper, 25% nickel
- Weight
- 5 g
- Diameter
- 21.2 mm
Original illustration. Tap to flip. Not a photograph of the actual coin.
Face value · Metal value · Small premium · Collector premium · Significant rarity. We use bands because prices change daily.
What is a 1921 Buffalo Nickel worth?
Age alone gives this coin a small premium, even worn. Sharp details and original surfaces push it higher.
What would make yours worth more:
- Uncirculated condition with full original luster
- A die variety or minting error
For market prices, check recent sold results for certified coins in the same grade.
Quick answers
- Is the 1921 Buffalo Nickel rare?
- No. 11 million were made, a typical run for the series. Condition and varieties decide its value, not the date.
- Is the 1921 Buffalo Nickel silver?
- No. It's 75% copper, 25% nickel. The only silver nickels are the 1942 to 1945 wartime coins with a large mint mark above Monticello.
- Where is the mint mark on a 1921 Buffalo Nickel?
- On the reverse, below the words FIVE CENTS. Philadelphia nickels have no mint mark.
- Which Philadelphia dates near 1921 are scarcer?
- None. Within five years either side, no Philadelphia issue had a smaller mintage than the 1921.
- How many 1921 Buffalo Nickel coins were made?
- 10,663,000.
What to check on your 1921
- There's no mint mark on this one, so the date and condition are what matter.
- Check the date on the obverse, on the raised shoulder below the portrait. Buffalo nickel dates were raised and wore away quickly, so many coins from this period are found with partial or missing dates.
- Judge the grade under good light. The tip of the bison's horn and the date are the key points. A "Full Horn" adds premium and a full, clear date is essential for Fine and above.
Look for a full horn tip on the bison and a clear date. A sharp strike and a full date matter more for value than almost anything else in this series.
The story of the 1921
Production at Philadelphia fell off a cliff in 1921. Only 10,663,000 were made, against 63 million the year before. That drop is why the 1921 is the one people look for. After that, Philadelphia didn't make another until 1923.
It was the big producer of the year, well ahead of 1921-S (1.6 million).
Of the 22 Buffalo Nickels Philadelphia struck between 1913 and 1937, this is the scarcest. Within the 1920s it's 17th smallest of 25, between the 1920-S (9.7 million) and the 1924 (22 million).
World War I output and the 1918/7-D (1918 to 1921)
Demand during and after World War I kept production high, reaching more than 60 million at Philadelphia in 1919 and 1920. Denver and San Francisco each struck around 5 to 10 million a year, far less than Philadelphia. A postwar recession cut 1921 output. San Francisco struck only 1.6 million that year, a semi-key date.
The 1918/7-D overdate is one of the most famous varieties of the 20th century. A working die received an 8 over a 7 and went into use without the error being caught. The overdate is difficult to see on worn coins, so collectors check the shape of the 8. Most survivors from these years are worn, often with weak dates. Well struck branch mint coins are scarce.
Elsewhere in US coinage in 1921
Morgan dollar production resumed to replace the coins melted under the Pittman Act. In December the Peace dollar by Anthony de Francisci was introduced, struck in high relief that first year.
How to recognize it
The obverse shows a Native American man facing right, with LIBERTY near the rim and the date on his shoulder. The reverse shows an American bison standing on a raised mound in early 1913 and on flat ground afterwards, with FIVE CENTS below. The mint mark is under FIVE CENTS. The raised date wears quickly, which is why many Buffalo nickels have partial or missing dates.
Mintage chart
Specifications
| Series | Buffalo Nickel (1913–1938) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1921 |
| Mint | Philadelphia Mint |
| Mint mark | None |
| Strike type | Circulation strike |
| Mintage | 10,663,000 |
| Face value | 5¢ |
| Composition | 75% copper, 25% nickel |
| Weight | 5 grams |
| Diameter | 21.2 mm |
| Edge | Plain |
| Designer | James Earle Fraser |
Other 1921 Buffalo Nickel issues
| Coin | Mintage | Type | Silver |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1921 Buffalo Nickel | 10,663,000 | Circulation strike | – |
| 1921-S Buffalo Nickel | 1,557,000 | Circulation strike | – |
Mintage: United States nickel mintage figures (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0), compiled from US Mint records and the Guide Book of United States Coins. How we build these pages.