The estimated value of a 1927 buffalo nickel in average condition is $2.00 and the value can range from $39 to $91 or more in uncirculated (MS+) mint condition.
The 1927 Buffalo Nickel is a very popular coin among collectors. It is considered one of the key dates of the Buffalo nickels minted from 1913 to 1938 due to the fact that they are no longer in production. In previous years, collectors have paid top cash for the Buffalo Nickel bearing the 1927 date.
However, a 1927 Buffalo Nickel is not so valuable if the coin is old, and has scratches. The real gems are ones without spots or blemishes. If you have ever asked the question “How much is a 1927 Buffalo Nickel Worth?” You’re in the right place, this article has all the information you need.
Most Valuable 1927 Buffalo Nickel
Most Valuable 1927 Buffalo Nickel is 1927-S 5C MS66 Sold on Jan 6, 2012 for: $48,875.00
1927 Buffalo Nickel
A 1927 Buffalo Nickel is a type of coin which has an image of a Native American on the front side and an image of bison on the back side.
The Indian Head nickel, or Buffalo nickel, was a five-cent piece minted by the United States from 1913 to 1938. Designed by sculptor James Earle Fraser, it was one of the last coins to be introduced before the Mint ceased designing coins for circulation.
Because the Buffalo Nickel was minted so long ago, finding one can be a challenge. Collecting 1927 buffalo coins can be a difficult process. After all, coins have been heavily circulated and few have survived the years in excellent condition.
History
The US Mint has a long history of producing a variety of different coins, many of which are prized by collectors. The 5-cent piece is just one kind of coin produced by the US Mint dating back to almost 100 years ago, but still, it remains popular with collectors.
| 1927 Buffalo Nickel | |
| Location | Minted |
| Philadelphia | 37,981,000 |
| Denver | 5,730,000 |
| San Francisco | 3,430,000 |
| Total | 47,141,000 |
In an effort to beautify the coinage, five denominations of US coins received new designs between 1907 and 1909. In 1911, officials from the Taft administration decided to replace Charles E. Barber’s Liberty Head designed the nickel with a new one and commissioned James Earle Fraser to create it.
In 1912, Fraser’s designs of a Native American and an American bison were approved for use on buffalo nickels. However, the Hobbs Manufacturing Company raised objections to the designs since their company was in the business of making mechanisms that detected slugs in nickel-operated machines.
| 1927 Buffalo Nickel | |
| Metal Composition | 75% Copper – 25% Nickel |
| Mass/Weight | 5 grams |
| Diameter | 21.21 mm |
| Mint Mark | “D” “S” |
| Edge | Plain |
| Designer | James Earle Fraser |
The Mint was not satisfied with the changes made by Fraser to the design of the coins, and in 1913, Treasury Secretary Franklin MacVeagh ordered that the coins be issued despite the objections.
The 1927 Buffalo nickel was minted in three United States Mints; the highest mint to strike buffalo nickels bearing the 1927 date was the Philadelphia mint with over 35 million coins struck. The next to follow suit with the highest number of coins struck was the Denver mint with over 5 million coins. The San Francisco mint also struck over 3 million 1927 Buffalo nickels struck in the mint.
The Mint tried to adjust the design of the coins, but they proved to strike indistinctly and be subject to wear—the dates wore away easily in circulation.
Design
At inception, James Fraser’s design of the Buffalo Nickel was admired and praised by many who admired the artistic work on the obverse and reverse of the coin. However, the praises were short-lived when circulated coins would lose their dates due to circulation, and become almost impossible to tell which date is on the coin.
In 1938, after a 25-year period during which the design could not be replaced without congressional authorization, it was later replaced by the Jefferson nickel which was designed by Felix Schlag.
Obverse
The obverse of the 1927 Buffalo nickel features the head of a native Indian American facing right. At the right of the profile, “LIBERTY ” appears in large capital letters, stretching along the edge of the coin and level with the Native American’s forehead and nose. On the Native American’s shoulder is a date that appears as a raised area on the coin. It often wears away. On well-worn Buffalo Nickels, it can be difficult to find the date.
An “F” is placed under the date as the designer’s signature. The coin’s designers thought that having the edge of the Buffalo Nickel plain and smooth, with no reeding, would help manufacturers of coin-operated devices adapt their machines to it.
Reverse
The buffalo on the back of the Buffalo Nickel is a North American male bison. The words “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” are written above the buffalo in a curved arc along the edge of the coin. The Latin phrase “E PLURIBUS UNUM” (“From many, one”) is found just above the buffalo’s back and hip, under the “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.”
The words “FIVE CENTS” are stamped below the buffalo. The letters are raised and (like the date on the obverse side) are subject to wear. The mint mark (if there is one) appears below “FIVE CENTS.”
Mints
The total number of struck Buffalo nickels bearing the 1927 date was 47,141,000. Huge number right? Yes! A lot of these coins were circulated for public use, however, in order to know the value of the coin you have, you must first determine where the coin was struck. This section should help you know the type of 1927 buffalo nickel in your possession.
Philadelphia Mint
The Philadelphia Mint struck the highest number of coins in the entire run of the Buffalo Nickels. Due to this reason, most of the coins you would find would not have a mint mark on the obverse. The Philadelphia mint didn’t strike mint marks on the coin.
For the 1927 issue of the Buffalo Nickel, A total number of 37,981,000 coins were struck at the Philly mint, all of which do not bear a mint mark on the reverse.
Denver Mint
In the history of Buffalo Nickels the Denver mint also had a very high number of total coins struck in total. The mint mark is located on the reverse of the coin just below “FIVE CENT” the “D” mark indicates that the coin was struck in the Denver mint.
If your coin wasn’t well preserved the mint mark might clear off, in this case, you might want to take your coin to an expert to help validate if it has a mint mark or not.
5,730,000 coins were struck in the Denver mint.
San Francisco Mint
The San Francisco mint struck the least number of coins in the entire run of the Buffalo nickel. The 1927 issue of the coin had only 3,430,000 coins from the mint in San Francisco. These coins are pretty much considered a rarity, especially in high grades due to the relatively low mintage.
The mint mark is located at the reverse, the “S” symbol indicates that the coin belongs to the set from the San Francisco mint.
How To Grade A 1927 Buffalo Nickel
Uncirculated: A 1927 buffalo nickel in this condition stands out as a superior coin. Coins that receive this grade are those that were placed into safekeeping shortly after being minted. Thanks to their being protected, these coins are in perfect condition and home to no signs of damage whatsoever. Perhaps the most surprising thing of all is that some of the coin’s original luster will have been retained through the years.
Extremely Fine: A coin with ample detail, although the hair braid has worn down and has lost some detail. A coin receiving this grade was in circulation for a short period of time. These coins will show some wear on both faces, but will generally appear to be in great condition. The only way you will be able to uncover signs of wear is by examining the coin closely.
Fine: The coin has a pleasing but worn appearance. The bold date and separation of legends from rims make this coin a bit more desirable than others in most cases. Design details are visible on both the Buffalo and Indian.
Coins in the grade of Good have been circulated for a short period of time but did not suffer any major damage. Some wear and some damage may be visible, but wear will be heaviest near the Indian’s cheekbone and/or near the front legs of the buffalo.
Good: Coins in this grade were circulated for decades and are in the absolute worst condition as a result. The tops of the letters next to the rim have joined, blurring the distinction between them and making them difficult to read. In addition, there are flat areas on the head, shoulder, and hip that add to the coin’s grade.
These coins have incurred a lot of physical damage in their time in circulation, including scratching, chipping, and even bending. In this condition, they’re affordable, but they may not be the most attractive addition to a collection.
1927 Buffalo Nickel Value
1927 Buffalo Nickel’s value is an important concept to understand when looking at your coin collection. This is because this coin, along with others from that era, has the potential to add to or detract from the value of your collection over the years. This can be especially critical with prices increasing or decreasing depending on market conditions
When you’re buying or selling a Buffalo Nickel, the price is determined by the condition of the coin and as such, it’s helpful to consider its condition. Many people are willing to pay large sums of money for coins in great condition, so it should come as no surprise that an Uncirculated piece will be expensive while a Good one may not cost much at all.
Year |
G |
VG |
F |
VF |
XF |
AU |
1927 |
$1.42 |
$2.00 |
$2.81 |
$4.52 |
$13 |
$24 |
1927 D |
$2.81 |
$6.64 |
$7.88 |
$36 |
$91 |
$148 |
1927 S |
$1.71 |
$3.30 |
$5.70 |
$38 |
$107 |
$205 |
There are different grades, however, in this guide, we will be covering just the major ones that you would most likely find. A table has been provided that helps you in the process of grading your 1927 buffalo nickel.
1927 P Buffalo Nickel Value & Price Chart
The 1927 Buffalo Nickel has an estimated value of $2.00 in average condition and can be worth $39 to $91 or more in uncirculated mint condition. The 1927 Buffalo nickel was minted in large quantities, and many examples survive in both circulated and uncirculated conditions.
It’s one of the most common dates of the 1920s and offers plenty of well-struck survivors suitable for collectors. Hundreds of examples are known in MS66 and dozens in MS67. The strike is usually quite sharp and the luster can be frosty.
Grade |
Price |
MS 62 |
|
MS 63 |
|
MS 64 |
|
MS 66 |
|
MS 67 |
|
MS 67+ |
1927 D Buffalo Nickel Value & Price Chart
The 1927-D Buffalo Nickel has an estimated value of $6.64 in average condition and can be worth $217 to $352 or more in uncirculated (MS+) mint condition. The 1927-D Buffalo nickel isn’t necessarily the rarest or most expensive 1920s mint marked issue, but it’s nevertheless scarce in higher circulated and uncirculated grades.
The 1927-D is moderately common in lower circulated grades, but scarce in mint state. It is scarce in mint state grades thru MS64, then it is very rare in MS65 or better.
Grade |
Price |
MS 62 |
|
MS 63 |
|
MS 64 |
|
MS 65 |
|
MS 65+ |
|
MS 66 |
1927 S Buffalo Nickel Value & Price Chart
If you have a 1927-S Buffalo Nickel in average condition, it is worth $3.30. In uncirculated mint condition, it could be worth as much as $608 to $2,277 or more—depending on the grade.
The 1927-S is relatively common in lower circulated grades, but quite scarce in higher grades. It is rare in mint state, and one of the rarest Buffalo nickels in Gem condition. In fact, in Gem MS65 condition (Gem Mint State), only the 1920-S, 1925-S, and 1926-S are rarer.
MS 63 |
|
MS 64 |
|
MS 65 |
|
MS 65+ |
|
MS 66 |
Where is the mintmark on a 1927 buffalo nickel?
If your Buffalo Nickel has a mint mark, you will find it on the reverse of the coin. The mint mark (if there is one) appears below “FIVE CENTS.” If your coin does not have a mint mark on the reverse, it means the coin was struck in the Philadelphia mint, coins from this mint won’t have a mint mark. If your coin has a “D” mint mark, it was struck in Denver, and if it bears the “S” mint mark, it was struck in the San Francisco mint.
How much is a buffalo nickel worth from 1927?
The 1927 Buffalo Nickel has an estimated value of $2.00 in average condition and can be worth $39 to $91 or more in uncirculated mint condition. The 1927-D Buffalo Nickel has an estimated value of $6.64 in average condition and can be worth $217 to $352 or more in uncirculated (MS+) mint condition. If you have a 1927-S Buffalo Nickel in average condition, it is worth $3.30. In uncirculated mint condition, it could be worth as much as $608 to $2,277 or more—depending on the grade.
Is a buffalo nickel made of silver?
The buffalo nickel does not contain any silver in its composition, the nickel is made up of 75% Copper – 25% Nickel and as such, its melt value is very low.
Conclusion
With all the different variables involved, this is a difficult niche to pin down. As a result, there is no universal 1927 buffalo nickel value chart that you can use to acquire a specific price point on this particular condition coin. Instead, it’s best to decide exactly which version of the coin you have, which conditions it’s in, and what factors you’re looking for (such as whether you want a collectible or an investment piece). Only then will you be able to arrive at your own approximation for a 1927 buffalo nickel value.
I hope this information about the 1927 buffalo nickel value has been helpful and insightful. If you have any additional questions or thoughts to share, please leave your comments in the section below. Thanks for visiting!
