1923 Buffalo Nickel Value
Depending on how well it survived, a 1923 Buffalo Nickel brings anywhere from $0.10 to $38.00. Exceptional, certified pieces regularly exceed the top of that range.
Public domain image (struck or printed before 1926). Click to enlarge.
1923 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.
How much is a 1923 Buffalo Nickel worth today?
At the entry level, well-worn examples bring about $0.10. The same coin in gem uncirculated condition is a $38.00 coin. Grade is everything: two examples of the 1923 Buffalo Nickel can differ in price by an order of magnitude based purely on preservation.
1923 Buffalo Nickel specifications
- Series
- Buffalo Nickel
- Year
- 1923
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- 35,715,000
- 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 1923 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.
The value drivers behind this coin
Context adds the final layer to the 1923 Buffalo Nickel. Well-struck, fully dated examples are the series' quiet condition rarities. 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 35,715,000 struck, the 1923 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.
1923 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 1923 Buffalo Nickel specimens
2 physically measured 1923 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1923 Buffalo Nickel #1 | - | - | - | - |
| 1923 Buffalo Nickel #2 | - | - | - | - |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1923 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.