Buffalo nickels were made from 1913 and used until 1938. These coins are important for US coin history and come in different compositions and uses. They also have good prices for low grades, and high mint state is best for collectors and high value. The 1934 coins are also good for collectors; they have good values for different grades. In this post, we will cover different factors for finding their values. Let’s get started with 1934 buffalo values.
1934 Nickel value chart
| 1934 nickel value | Good | Very Good | Fine | Very Fine | Extremely Fine | About Uncirculated | Uncirculated (MS-60) |
Uncirculated (MS-63) |
|
1934 Buffalo Nickels
|
$1.53 | $1.84 | $3.01 | $4.85 | $12 | $22 | $59 | $79 |
|
1934 D Buffalo Nickels
|
$1.84 | $3.01 | $4.85 | $11 | $30 | $55 | $98 | $159 |
1934 No Mint Mark Buffalo Nickel Value
The Philadelphia mint made about 20,213,003 Buffalo Nickels, and these coins do not have a mint mark. The circulated condition coins are about 4 to 25 dollars. About uncirculated conditions are about 30 dollars. MS60 is about 70 dollars, and MS65 we can get these coins for about 300 dollars.
MS66 coins are about 630 dollars, and MS67 are about 4250 dollars. In 2019, the MS67+ grade coins sold for 12000 dollars.
1934 D Nickel Value
The Denver Mint also made buffalo nickels, and about 7,480,000 coins were made, and these coins have a D mint mark. These coins also come with different grades and values. Their good condition value is about 4 dollars, and extra fine grade coins are about 35 dollars.
About uncirculated condition coins are about 60 dollars. The MS66 grade coins are about 3000 dollars. In 2020, 1934 D MSS66+ grade coins sold for 23500 dollars.
The 1934 D buffalo nickels with Large D and Small D also have different values. Au 53 small D are about 30 to 40 dollars. Some different grades of 1934 D nickels values are
| Grade | Value |
| MS 60 | $110 |
| MS 61 | $120 |
| MS 62 | $130 |
| MS 63 | $210 |
| MS 64 | $300 |
| MS 65 | $550 |
1934 Buffalo Nickel Errors Value
1934 Nickel Off-Center Error
Off-center error occurs when the die strike on coins misses the central alignment and the design printed on coins is off-center. The value of off-center error is based on the percentage off-center. 10 percent off the center with MS64 is about 600 dollars for mint state.
Wrong planchet error
In this error, nickel coins strike with the wrong denomination planchet that is 21.21 mm in nickel coins struck, with one-penny planchet that is 19.05 mm, and in result, the date and words are off. The coins with this error are about 4600 dollars for an MS62 grade with brown combinations.
Nickel Reverse Struck Thru Error
In this error, an external object comes between the die and the planchet and makes a mark on the coins. The struck-through error occurs on the reverse side of the 1934 D coins when any external object comes between the strike on the coins. The coins with this error for an MS63 grade are about 220 dollars.
Three-legged buffalo error
In this error, a partially or completely dead was found on Bison’s front right leg. In 1934, this error was seen on Denver-minted coins, and there are about 40000 coins in circulation with this error. The coins with this error are worth several hundred dollars for circulated conditions and in mint state are worth thousands of dollars.
History of the 1934 Buffalo Nickel
These coins are important in USA history and were made for making coins with a high-quality design. Before the buffalo nickels, Lady Liberty made them, and they came with two denominations that affect their beauty.
President Roosevelt did not like coin design and asked to make new designed coins. In 1904, compositions were arranged for new design coins. The design of James Earle Fraser was selected for the nickel.
After finalizing the design of the buffalo nickels, these coins were released for common circulation in 1913 and used until 1938. The 1934s are part of this series, and these coins come in two main types, the Philadelphia mint and the Denver mint, and their mintage is as
| 1934 nickel | Minted |
| 1934 nickel | 20,213,003 |
| 1934 D nickel | 7,480,000 |
| Totoal | 27,693,003 |
Features of the 1934 Buffalo Nickel
Obverse of the 1934 Buffalo nickel
The 1934 Buffalo nickel front side comes with a portrait of an Indian chief wearing a feather headdress. The word LIBERTY is written, and the designer’s initial F is also on this side.
Reverse of 1934 Buffalo nickel
The backside of the coin has a buffalo standing on the ground and the denomination seen below. The country name United States of America, is also written with the motto E Pluribus Unum mentioned. The FIVE CENTS is also written.
Some other features of 1934 nickels are as follows.
- The diameter of coins is 21.21 mm, and the thickness is 1.95 mm.
- The composition of coins is 75% copper and 25% nickel. The nickel content in coins is 5 cents.
| Face value |
Five cents
|
| Shape | Round |
| Compound |
3/4 copper and 1/4 nickel
|
| Coin thickness |
0.07677 inches
|
| Coin diameter |
0.83504 inches
|
| Coin weight |
0.17637 ounces
|
| Edge | Plain |
Grading of 1934 Buffalo Nickel
Uncirculated:
- The uncirculated buffalo nickel coins are not used in hand after minting, meaning they are not used for circulation. In place of it, coins kept safely for a longer time so as not to have any serious damage. These coins also have luster that is used at the mint for manufacturing and provide shine in a preserved state for many years.
Extremely Fine:
- The extremely fine nickel comes with perfect conditions, and close inspection shows that coins are facing some minor damage. Due to circulation, the coins are seen to have some light scratching. Irrespective of small damage, coins come normally in pristine condition.
Fine:
- Fine-grade coins were used for circulation for some time. These coins have many scratches and other damage signs, but coins’ details and designs also exist for some intent. There is heavy wear on mostly coins close to the leg of buffalo nickels and on the cheekbone of the pictured Indian.
Good:
- In these conditons coins are heavily circulated grade at time of exchanging hands, coins comes with incurred significant and high damage. It has high scratching and chipping on coins.
FAQs About the 1934 Buffalo Nickel
Is a 1934 Buffalo nickel rare?
- There are many 1934 buffalo nickels that exist, and we can find them easily, but some buffalo nickels in high grades for uncirculated conditions and mint state are rare and high value.
How to check if a Buffalo nickel is valuable?
- For this, first of all, check the minting date, mint mark, and the denomination of coins. Since some coins appropriately have these features and they have a high value. The coins minted in these dates are normally high value, such as 1913-S, 1916/16, 1918/17-D, and 1921-S. Some error coins, like two legs, are also high value.
Which Buffalo nickel is high value?
- The 1926 S buffalo nickels sold for $300,000. High grades and no errors mean uncirculated conditions. The 3-leg error coins from 1935 and 1937 are also thousands of dollars.
Which 1934 Buffalo nickels are high value?
- The high-value 1934 D MS66+ nickel, having an Indian chief on the obverse and a buffalo on the backside, sold for $23,500 in 2020 at Legend Rare Coin Auctions.
- Ms67+ grade 1934 coins sold in 2019 for $12,000.
What is the value of the 1934 No Mint Mark Buffalo nickel?
- The value of 1934 nickels without mint marks is about 45 cents to 40 dollars for circulated conditions, and uncirculated coins are about 40 to 500 dollars. MS67 grade coins are about $4000.
What is the most valueable buffalo nickel
| Nickel type | Grade | Mint Mark | Sale Price | Sale Date |
| 1918/7 D | MS 65 | Denver (D) | $350,750 | August 16, 2006 |
| 1926 S | MS 66 | S | $322,000 | April 1, 2008 |
| 1913 | MS 68 | Denver (D) | $143,750 | January 8, 2008 |
| 1913 | PR 68 | No | $96,937.50 | September 2, 2021 |
| 1913 | PR 68 | No | $66,700 | August 12, 2005 |
| 1927 | SP 65 | No | $47,150 | April 1, 2009 |
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