1935 Buffalo Nickel Value Guide

The 1935 Buffalo Nickel Value

This coin remain consistent in value for the early grades. However, the Denver version begins taking off at the “very fine” grade.

Additionally, all values are conservative estimates based on research. Please note all values are subject to change due to the market or circumstances unaccounted for during research and publication. We always recommend doing further research or consulting with a professional.

Melt Value

The 1935 buffalo nickel’s melt value is approximately negligible. The melt value will fluctuate with the market.

Circulation Strike Value Chart

	Coin Names And Coin Values
Grade Names	1935 Buffalo Nickel	1935-D Buffalo Nickel	1935-S Buffalo Nickel
Good – G	$2	$2	$2
Very Good – VG	$3	$3	$3
Fine – F	$4	$4	$4
Very Fine – VF	$4	$10	$4
Extra Fine – XF	$7	$30	$9
About Uncirculated – AU	$10-$23	$40-$68	$17-$46
Mint State – MS	$26-$26,000 (68)	$72-$30,000 (67+)	$50-$7,800 (67+)

What Makes A 1935 Buffalo Nickel Valuable?

The following factors affect a coin’s value: grading, the rarity of some versions, mint marks, error coins, and die varieties.

Let’s start with grading.

Grading

As with all coins, grading plays a factor in a 1935 buffalo nickel’s value. This value will steadily increase from a single-digit dollar value until seeing more significant jumps in the mint-state grades. 

Rarity

The Mint minted 1935 buffalo nickels approximately 80,656,000 times across all of its versions. Please see the following list for the breakdown for each version:

• 1935: 58,264,000 minted in Philadelphia^4,7
• 1935-D: 12,092,000 minted in Denver^2,5
• 1935-S: 10,300,000 minted in San Francisco^3,6

Overall, the 1935 buffalo nickel’s minting amount does not make it rare, even compared to other nickels in its series. As a result, this does not contribute to its overall value.

Mint Marks

The U.S. Mint produced 1935 buffalo nickels in Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco.^1-6

The nickels remain consistent in value across those versions, from the “good” to “fine” grades. After that, Denver quickly takes the lead, followed by San Francisco, and then Philadelphia.

Strike Types

The 1935 buffalo nickel only has a circulation strike type.^8-9 This is not unusual, as many coins only have this strike type. Additionally, this does not add to nor take away from its value.

Design Variations

This coin has no design variations. 

Special Designations

This coin has no special designations.

Error Coins

1935 buffalo nickels have many error types.¹⁰ These include but are not limited to the following:

• Broadstrike errors
• Struck off-center errors
• Clipped errors
• Lamination errors
• Wrong cent planchet errors

Of these error types, the wrong cent planchet errors are worth the most, adding thousands of dollars in value. 

The other errors also add value, although it’s in the hundreds of dollars or less instead of thousands. 

Die Varieties

1935 buffalo nickels have several varieties. These include the doubled-die reverse (DDR), 1935-D/D/D/D (triple repunched), 1935-D/D (repunched), 1935-S/S (repunched), and 1935-S/S/S (double repunched) varieties.^10-17 

Generally, all die varieties are more valuable than regular coins. The DDR varieties are the most valuable, though, adding up to thousands of dollars in value to your coin. 

Composition

The 1935 buffalo nickel is 75% copper, which does not contribute to its overall value. 

It’s important to note that even if this coin had a melt value, we would recommend against melting it down. The reason is that coins are worth more intact than when melted.

How Do You Know If You Have A Valuable 1935 Buffalo Nickel?

The best way to know if you have a valuable 1935 buffalo nickel (or any coin) and to get that value out of it is to have it professionally certified.

However, you can look for many elements to get you started in determining what coin you have.

Let’s start with grading.

Grading

A coin’s grade depends on several factors. Generally, you want to see more vivid details, fewer imperfections, better luster, and no signs of wear. The more of these you see, the higher the grade.

Mint Marks

Look on the reverse side of your 1935 buffalo nickel to determine what location it came from.

A small “D” beneath the words “Five Cents” means the coin came from the Denver location.

A small “S” means the coin came from the San Francisco location.

No letter means the coin came from the Philadelphia location.

Strike Types

You won’t need to look for anything in particular with your 1935 buffalo nickel in this case since only the circulation-strike version exists. 

Design Variations

The coin has no design variations. 

Special Designations

The coin has no special designations.

Error Coins

Determining a broadstrike error is relatively easy. These errors result in coins that are larger than normal. Specifically, you’ll see plain metal surrounding the coin’s design.

Struck off-center errors are also relatively easy to determine. These errors result in a coin’s design being shifted in one direction or the other and often being incomplete. Coin-grading bodies often express this as a percentage. For example, 10% is a slight shifting off-center, while 30% is more significant.

Clipped errors result in coins with parts of their rims missing. These missing parts are often curved. Sometimes it’s just one clip, and sometimes it’s more than one.

Lamination errors result in parts of the surface cracking or flaking.

Wrong cent planchet errors result in a coin’s design being struck on the wrong kind of coin. For example, a nickel design is struck on a penny.

For this error, your coin can be the wrong size, color, and weight. At the very least, it’ll be one of those.

Die Varieties

A few versions exist for the doubled-die reverse (DDR) variety.¹⁷ For any DDR variety, you’ll see doubling on the coin’s reverse side. Specifically, you’re looking for elements that look duplicated in some way. You could see this doubling on the words “Five Cents,” “E Pluribus Unum,” “United,” and possibly even on the buffalo. You may need some form of magnification to see this doubling.

For the repunched varieties, you’re looking for the faint outline of previous mint marks, which will be offset from the last mint mark struck on the coin.¹⁷ You’ll see this kind of variety in either the 1935-S or 1935-D buffalo nickels.

Additional Information About The 1935 Buffalo Nickel

History

There’s nothing of note in this coin’s history. This is common for many coins. 

However, it is worth noting this was one of the final years for the buffalo nickel, the final year of which was 1938. Jefferson nickels replaced these.

The original buffalo nickel owes part of its creation to President Theodore Roosevelt and his pursuit of improving coin design. Others helped, and in time, the buffalo nickel entered production from 1913 to 1938.

The Coin’s Obverse Side

The 1935 buffalo nickel’s obverse side has the right-facing profile of a Native American filling much of it. The word “Liberty” curves along the rim by the Native American’s forehead and nose. “1935” sits below his neck by the bottom of the coin.

^{Sources: 1,4}

The Coin’s Reverse Side

A buffalo fills nearly all of the 1935 buffalo nickel’s reverse side (hence the name). The words “United States Of America” curve along the rim above the buffalo. 

The words “E Pluribus Unum” are sandwiched between them. These are the United States motto, meaning “Out of many, one.”

“Five Cents” is below the buffalo. If there’s a mint mark, it’ll be below those words. It’ll be a “D” for Denver and an “S” for San Francisco. No mint mark indicates the coin came from Philadelphia.

^{Sources: 1-6}

Why Is This Coin Called A Buffalo Nickel If It’s A Bison?

For those who aren’t sure why this question exists, know that the animal on the back of the 1935 buffalo nickel (and all buffalo nickels) is an American bison, not a buffalo. Additionally, although some confusion exists, these are two separate animals. 

Bison have humped backs, hairy faces, and horns. Buffalo do have similarities, but they don’t have the humped backs or hairy faces.

The reason why this confusion exists is because English colonists made the mistake of calling buffalo bison, and many have been doing so since.

Sources

1935 Buffalo Nickel Value Guide Sources