1916 Buffalo Nickel Value
A 1916 Buffalo Nickel is worth roughly $0.10 to $38.00 depending on its condition. Certified examples in top grades can run far higher.
Public domain image (struck or printed before 1926). Click to enlarge.
1916 Buffalo Nickel value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Good (G-4) | $0.10 to $0.15 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $0.10 to $0.20 |
| Fine (F-12) | $0.20 to $0.35 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $0.40 to $0.70 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $0.80 to $1.35 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $1.60 to $2.70 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $3.20 to $5.40 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $7.20 to $12.00 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $22.50 to $38.00 |
Estimated retail range, updated 2026-06-15. Estimates are modeled from mintage rarity and metal content, not auction records. Actual sale prices vary with certification, eye appeal and market timing.
What is a 1916 Buffalo Nickel worth right now?
Figure roughly $0.10 as the realistic floor for a damage-free, well-worn 1916 Buffalo Nickel, rising steadily through the grades to about $38.00 for a certified gem. Cleaned or damaged coins trade below these figures.
1916 Buffalo Nickel specifications
- Series
- Buffalo Nickel
- Year
- 1916
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- 63,497,466
- Composition
- 75% copper, 25% nickel
- Weight
- 5 g
- Diameter
- 21.2 mm
- Edge
- Plain
- Designer
- James Earle Fraser
Mintage figure: US Mint reports (approximate).
Why this coin has no mint mark
The 1916 Buffalo Nickel was struck at the Philadelphia Mint, which used no mint mark in this era. If you find no letter where branch-mint coins carry one (On the reverse, below FIVE CENTS at the bottom), you are holding a Philadelphia issue.
What collectors pay for in a 1916 Buffalo Nickel
Context adds the final layer to the 1916 Buffalo Nickel. The obverse portrait is a composite of three Native American chiefs, Iron Tail, Two Moons, and Big Tree by most accounts, and the reverse bison is traditionally identified as Black Diamond of the Central Park Zoo. Owning this date means owning a piece of that story, and demand for the series as a whole sustains liquidity for every issue in it.
With 63,497,466 struck, the 1916 Buffalo Nickel is one of the more available dates of its series. Its value rests on metal content and condition rather than absolute rarity, which makes it an ideal type coin.
1916 Buffalo Nickel inscriptions & design
Obverse
LIBERTY / (date) / F [initial]
Native American bust right
Reverse
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / E/ PLURIBUS/ UNUM / FIVE CENTS / [mintmark]
American bison left
Measured 1916 Buffalo Nickel specimens
6 physically measured 1916 Buffalo Nickel examples in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 5 g, 21.2 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1916 Buffalo Nickel #1 | - | - | - | - |
| 1916 Buffalo Nickel #2 | - | - | - | - |
| 1916 Buffalo Nickel #3 | - | - | - | - |
| 1916 Buffalo Nickel #4 | - | - | - | - |
| 1916 Buffalo Nickel #5 | - | - | - | - |
| 1916 Buffalo Nickel #6 | - | - | - | - |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1916 Buffalo Nickel is valued between $0.10 and $38.00 as of 2026-06-15. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.