1931 Buffalo Nickel Value
A 1931 Buffalo Nickel is worth roughly $0.10 to $38.00 depending on its condition. Certified examples in top grades can run far higher.
1931 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 1931 Buffalo Nickel worth today?
Figure roughly $0.10 as the realistic floor for a damage-free, well-worn 1931 Buffalo Nickel, rising steadily through the grades to about $38.00 for a certified gem. Cleaned or damaged coins trade below these figures.
1931 Buffalo Nickel specifications
- Series
- Buffalo Nickel
- Year
- 1931
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- 75% copper, 25% nickel
- Weight
- 5 g
- Diameter
- 21.2 mm
- Edge
- Plain
- Designer
- James Earle Fraser
Why this coin has no mint mark
The 1931 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 makes the 1931 Buffalo Nickel valuable
Documented examples of the 1931 Buffalo Nickel in our reference database anchor what we know about this issue. Mintage records are incomplete, so collector demand and surviving population drive its market.
The series itself does some of the lifting for the 1931 Buffalo Nickel: James Earle Fraser's Buffalo nickel is widely judged the most distinctly American coin design ever struck. Broad, multigenerational demand for the design gives every date, including this one, a deep and liquid market.
1931 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 1931 Buffalo Nickel specimens
1 physically measured 1931 Buffalo Nickel example 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1931 Buffalo Nickel #1 | - | - | - | - |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1931 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.