Lot 041Coin values
1926-S Buffalo Nickel
SAN FRANCISCO (S) · 75% COPPER, 25% NICKEL · 970,000 STRUCK
Worth about $22–$300 circulated and $33,000–$47,000 in MS-65.
The 1926-S Buffalo Nickel is a key date from the San Francisco Mint, with 970,000 pieces struck. In circulated grades (G-4 to EF-40) our estimate is $22–$300, and a well-preserved MS-65 example is estimated at $33,000–$47,000. Because this is a key date, condition and authenticity matter far more than metal content: have any high-value coin graded by a recognised service.
The lowest mintage of the series (970,000) and a key date.
Type coin shown: 1935 Buffalo nickel. We do not yet hold a licensed photograph of the 1926-S Buffalo Nickel itself, so this is the nearest dated coin of the same design. The design is the same; the date, mint mark and condition of your coin will differ. Photograph: 1935 Buffalo nickel (photograph by Bobby131313). Public domain, credit Bobby131313, via Wikimedia Commons.
- Mint
- San Francisco (S)
- Composition
- 75% copper, 25% nickel
- Mintage
- 970,000
- Weight and size
- 5 g · 21.2 mm
- Designer
- James Earle Fraser
Scarcer than 100% of the 64 issues in the Buffalo series with a recorded mintage. 970,000 struck. Mintage is the number struck, not the number that survive.
Date and mint mark
The date sits on a raised area and wears away first. Dateless coins sell for a few dollars, and the mint mark is on the reverse below FIVE CENTS.
Type 1 and Type 2
In 1913 the reverse changed from a raised mound (Type 1) to a flat line (Type 2). 1913-S Type 2 is a key date.
Strike and cleaning
Weak strikes are common, especially for Denver and San Francisco issues. Many Buffalo nickels have been cleaned or had their dates restored.
About the 1926-S Buffalo
How much is a 1926-S Buffalo Nickel worth?
Lustre's editorial estimate (Oct 2026) is $22–$300 for circulated examples (G-4 to EF-40) and $33,000–$47,000 in MS-65. These are estimates, not an appraisal or market data. A coin in the grade you hold may sell for less at a dealer, who needs a margin.
What is a 1926-S Buffalo Nickel made of?
It is 75% copper, 25% nickel and weighs 5 g. At today's metal prices the metal is worth a few cents, so any value comes from collector demand.
How many 1926-S Buffalo Nickels were minted?
970,000 were struck at the San Francisco Mint.
Where is the mint mark on a Buffalo Nickel?
On the reverse, below the words FIVE CENTS. Philadelphia coins have no mint mark.
Is my 1926-S Buffalo Nickel rare?
Yes. It is a key date. Check the variety notes on this page, look at the date and mint mark under magnification and consider professional grading before selling.
More Buffalo Nickel values
Where these numbers come from
Buffalo nickel, Wikipedia: composition, weight, diameter, edge, designer, mint mark position.
Buffalo nickel mintage, Landofcoins.com: mintage by year and mint.
Lustre editorial grade-value estimates, Lustre: grade value ranges (estimates, not market data).
gold-api.com spot prices (reference level for estimates), gold-api.com: reference spot prices behind the estimates.
How the estimates are made. Facts reviewed Oct 2026.