1930 Buffalo Nickel Value
A 1930 Buffalo Nickel is worth roughly $0.10 to $38.00 depending on its condition. Certified examples in top grades can run far higher.
1930 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 1930 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 1930 Buffalo Nickel can differ in price by an order of magnitude based purely on preservation.
1930 Buffalo Nickel specifications
- Series
- Buffalo Nickel
- Year
- 1930
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- 22,849,000
- 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 1930 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
James Earle Fraser's Buffalo nickel is widely judged the most distinctly American coin design ever struck. For the 1930 Buffalo Nickel, the enduring popularity of the series translates directly into buyers in every grade and every market cycle.
With 22,849,000 struck, the 1930 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.
1930 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 1930 Buffalo Nickel specimens
2 physically measured 1930 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1930 Buffalo Nickel #1 | - | - | - | - |
| 1930 Buffalo Nickel #2 | - | - | - | - |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1930 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.