1927 Buffalo Nickel Value

A 1927 Buffalo Nickel is worth roughly $0.10 to $38.00 depending on its condition. Exceptional, certified pieces regularly exceed the top of that range.

19275 CENTS5 CENTS
Illustrative rendering. Photographs of this date are being added.

1927 Buffalo Nickel value by grade

1927 Buffalo Nickel value by grade
GradeEstimated 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 1927 Buffalo Nickel worth today?

Figure roughly $0.10 as the realistic floor for a damage-free, well-worn 1927 Buffalo Nickel, rising steadily through the grades to about $38.00 for a certified gem. Cleaned or damaged coins trade below these figures.

1927 Buffalo Nickel specifications

Series
Buffalo Nickel
Year
1927
Mint mark
None (Philadelphia)
Mintage
37,981,000
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 1927 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 1927 Buffalo Nickel

There is history in a 1927 Buffalo Nickel as well. The design's artistry came at a practical cost: the date sat on a raised shoulder that wore away quickly, which is why countless 'dateless' Buffalos survive. That backdrop keeps the series among the most actively collected in American numismatics.

With 37,981,000 struck, the 1927 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.

1927 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 1927 Buffalo Nickel specimens

3 physically measured 1927 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.

Measured 1927 Buffalo Nickel specimens
SpecimenWeightDiameterDie axisReferences
1927 Buffalo Nickel #1---Breen.2628
1927 Buffalo Nickel #2----
1927 Buffalo Nickel #3----

Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.

Summary: the 1927 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.