Buffalo Nickel Value: A 1913–1938 Indian Head Nickel Guide by Year, Mintmark, and Variety
The Buffalo nickel — also called the Indian Head nickel — ran from 1913 to 1938. Most circulated buffalos are worth 50 cents to
Every coin has a story, a year, a mint, and a value that changes with the spot price of gold or silver. Our Coin Guides help you identify what you have, look up its current melt and collector value, and learn the year-by-year history of America’s most-collected series, from Morgan dollars to junk silver to modern American Eagles.
The Buffalo nickel — also called the Indian Head nickel — ran from 1913 to 1938. Most circulated buffalos are worth 50 cents to
The Lincoln wheat cent ran from 1909 to 1958. Most circulated wheat pennies are worth 3 to 5 cents — collector value, not metal
A Morgan silver dollar contains 0.7734 troy oz of silver — multiply by the live silver spot price for the melt-value floor. Common-date Morgans
Most U.S. dimes, quarters, and half dollars minted through 1964 are 90% silver. Half dollars stayed 40% silver through 1970. The only silver nickels
Every U.S. dollar coin minted before 1936 is silver. Most dollar coins minted from 1971 to 1978 are not — they’re copper-nickel clad —
Most U.S. nickels have never contained silver. The Buffalo nickel isn’t silver. The 1964 Jefferson isn’t silver. Only one narrow window in the history
Which half dollars are silver? Short answer: U.S. half dollars dated 1964 or earlier are 90% silver. Kennedy halves dated 1965 through 1970 are
Which dimes are silver? Short answer: U.S. dimes dated 1964 or earlier are 90% silver; from 1965 onward, the dimes in your pocket are
Which quarters are silver? Short answer: U.S. quarters dated 1964 or earlier are 90% silver; from 1965 onward, the quarters in your pocket are
Most U.S. quarters minted in or before 1964 are 90% silver. From 1965 onward they switched to copper-nickel clad and contain no silver. A
“Silver dollar” is a label that covers two centuries of U.S. coinage — and not all of it is silver. A 1921 Morgan contains
Junk silver is U.S. coinage that contains real silver — 90%, 40%, or 35% — but trades for its melt value, not its collector
