USA "FIVE CENTS" Buffalo Nickel 1920
USA, San Francisco
Rarity
Common
Attributes of Coins
| Region | USA |
|---|---|
| Denomination | 5 cents |
| Krause number | KM# 134 |
| Mintage | 9,689,000 |
| Metal | Copper-Nickel |
| thickness | 1.95 mm |
| diameter | 21.21 mm |
| weight | 5 g |
Obverse:
Great people
Description:
Iron Tail (Native American, chief of the Oglala Lakota)
Creators:
James Earle Fraser (F)
LIBERTY
Reverse:
Animals
Description:
Bison
Creators:
James Earle Fraser (F)
E PLURIBUS UNUM
FIVE CENTS
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Introduction of Coins
Despite a fairly high production for the San Francisco Mint, choice examples of the 1920 S nickel are very rare. The vast majority were poorly made from quite worn and blurry dies. Combined with sometimes indifferent luster, these conditions account for the great rarity of certified gems. The problem of heavily worn and indistinct dies is especially prevalent with this coin's reverse, as it carries no date, permitting the dies to be used in subsequent years until they failed completely. Sadly, this would be the paradigm during most of the 1920s for both the Denver and San Francisco Mints.Read More
