1927 Buffalo Nickel Coin Value: How Much Is It Worth?
A 1927 Buffalo Nickel can range from about $1.56 in well-worn Good-4 condition up to $2,769 or more at the Mint State 63 level, depending on which mint struck it. That upper figure belongs to the San Francisco issue, which climbs steeply in uncirculated grades.
Special-strike specimens exist too, occupying a category well beyond ordinary circulation pieces.
Fast Way to Identify Your 1927 Buffalo Nickel
Upload clear photos of both sides of your 1927 Buffalo Nickel for a preliminary identification. Make sure the date is readable and the area below FIVE CENTS on the reverse is visible so the mintmark, if any, can be checked.
Good lighting and a steady shot help more than magnification from a shaky hand.
1927 Buffalo Nickel Value
Upload both sides of your 1927 Buffalo Nickel.
Front Obverse
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Back Reverse
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Which 1927 Buffalo Nickel Versions Are Worth Money?
- The 1927-S in Mint State 63 carries a guide value around $2,769, far above the other mints at that grade, making it the key branch-mint issue to check.
- The 1927-D commands roughly $498 at MS63, significantly more than the Philadelphia issue at the same grade level.
- Special-strike specimens are extremely rare; one SP65 example reportedly sold for $43,125, placing it in a different category entirely.
- Error varieties such as the Three-and-a-Half Legs on Denver coins or Doubled Die Obverse on San Francisco coins can add value depending on condition and visibility.
Step 1: Identify Your 1927 Buffalo Nickel Mint Mark and Version
Three mints produced 1927 Buffalo Nickels: Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco. Philadelphia coins carry no mintmark.
Denver pieces show a small D, and San Francisco pieces show an S, both located on the reverse just below the words FIVE CENTS.
All 1927 nickels use the Type 2 reverse design, where FIVE CENTS sits in a flat, recessed area below the bison. There is no Type 1 raised-mound variety for this date; that design was limited to 1913.
The composition is 75% copper and 25% nickel, weighing about 5 grams with a 21.2 mm diameter and a plain edge. No silver version exists.
Rare special-strike specimens from Philadelphia are a distinct category and should not be confused with ordinary bright business strikes.
Step 2: Check Your 1927 Buffalo Nickel Grade
Focus on the Native American portrait first. Hair detail in the braid and above the ear wears away early, as does the fullness of the cheek.
On the reverse, check the bison's shoulder, hip, and horn. Use the comparison image to match your coin's wear pattern against known grade examples.
Here is the catch with 1920s Buffalo Nickels: strike weakness is common, especially on branch-mint coins. A soft horn does not automatically mean heavy wear.
Look at overall luster and the sharpness of protected areas to separate a weak strike from genuine circulation loss.
Original surfaces matter. Cleaning or environmental damage drops value fast.
Never use acid or any chemical to restore a worn date; it destroys the coin's surface and makes accurate grading impossible.
Step 3: Check 1927 Buffalo Nickel Value by Mint and Version
1927 Buffalo Nickel — No Mint Mark — Type2 Circulation
The 1927 Philadelphia Buffalo Nickel has no mintmark. Look at both sides and confirm the space below FIVE CENTS is empty.
USA Coin Book guide estimates place this coin at about $1.56 in Good-4 and around $100 in MS63.
Philadelphia struck the largest quantity, so these are the most available in circulated grades. Still, a fully lustrous example with a sharp strike is not as common as the mintage might suggest.
Check for original surfaces and complete horn detail before assuming a high grade.
Range Grade
Price Auction Records Appraisal PO PO 1
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Coin Identifier FR FR 2
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Coin Identifier AG AG 3
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Coin Identifier G G 4
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G 6
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Coin Identifier VG VG 8
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VG 10
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Coin Identifier F F 12
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F 15
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Coin Identifier VF VF 20
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VF 25
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VF 30
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VF 35
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Coin Identifier XF XF 40
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XF 45
Coin Identifier AU AU 50
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AU 53
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AU 55
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AU 58
Coin Identifier MS MS 60
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MS 61
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MS 62
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MS 63
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MS 64
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MS 65
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MS 66
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MS 67
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MS 68
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MS 69
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MS 70
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1927 Buffalo Nickel — D — Type2 Circulation
The 1927-D carries a D mintmark on the reverse below FIVE CENTS. Guide estimates from USA Coin Book put it at roughly $3.62 in Good-4 and about $498 at MS63.
Denver strikes from this era can be soft, especially on the bison's horn and the hair detail above the portrait's ear. A coin that looks moderately worn might actually be weakly struck but barely circulated.
Compare high points against protected areas to get a better read. Original luster is your best friend here.
Range Grade
Price Auction Records Appraisal PO PO 1
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Coin Identifier FR FR 2
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Coin Identifier AG AG 3
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Coin Identifier G G 4
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G 6
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Coin Identifier VG VG 8
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VG 10
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Coin Identifier F F 12
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F 15
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Coin Identifier VF VF 20
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VF 25
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VF 30
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VF 35
Coin Identifier XF XF 40
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XF 45
Coin Identifier AU AU 50
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AU 53
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AU 55
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AU 58
Coin Identifier MS MS 60
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MS 61
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MS 62
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MS 63
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MS 64
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MS 65
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MS 66
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MS 67
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MS 68
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MS 69
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MS 70
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1927 Buffalo Nickel — S — Type2 Circulation
San Francisco's 1927-S is the standout. It carries an S mintmark below FIVE CENTS on the reverse, and guide values from USA Coin Book range from about $2.50 in Good-4 to roughly $2,769 in MS63.
That steep jump tells you how scarce nice examples are.
Most surviving 1927-S nickels saw heavy use, so even a problem-free Very Fine example is worth a close look. Fully original mint-state pieces with strong strikes are genuinely difficult to locate.
As with other branch-mint issues, do not mistake strike softness for wear; examine the overall luster and high-point sharpness together.
Range Grade
Price Auction Records Appraisal PO PO 1
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Coin Identifier FR FR 2
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Coin Identifier AG AG 3
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Coin Identifier G G 4
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G 6
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Coin Identifier VG VG 8
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VG 10
Coin Identifier F F 12
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F 15
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Coin Identifier VF VF 20
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VF 25
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VF 30
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VF 35
Coin Identifier XF XF 40
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XF 45
Coin Identifier AU AU 50
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AU 53
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AU 55
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AU 58
Coin Identifier MS MS 60
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MS 61
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MS 62
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MS 63
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MS 64
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MS 65
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MS 66
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MS 67
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MS 68
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MS 69
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MS 70
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1927 Buffalo Nickel — No Mint Mark — Special Strike
A small number of 1927 special-strike specimens exist, produced at Philadelphia with characteristics that distinguish them from ordinary business strikes. These are not proofs in the traditional sense, and they are not simply bright coins pulled early from a production run.
One reported SP65 specimen sold for $43,125, which gives you an idea of the rarity involved. There is no ordinary grade-by-grade price curve for these pieces.
If you suspect you have one, professional attribution is essential, because the differences in field quality and rim detail require expert examination. Ordinary well-struck coins do not qualify.
Coin Value Lookup is a good starting point if you want to look up guides for other Buffalo Nickel dates or different series entirely.
Range Grade
Price Auction Records Appraisal SP SP 1
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SP 2
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SP 3
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SP 4
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SP 6
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SP 8
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SP 10
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SP 12
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SP 15
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SP 20
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SP 25
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SP 30
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SP 35
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SP 40
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SP 45
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SP 50
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SP 53
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SP 55
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SP 58
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SP 60
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SP 61
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SP 62
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SP 63
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SP 64
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SP 65
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SP 66
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SP 67
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SP 68
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SP 69
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SP 70
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1927 Buffalo Nickel Error List
1. 1927 Buffalo Nickel — Three-and-a-Half Legs
The Three-and-a-Half Legs variety is reported on 1927-D Buffalo Nickels. On affected coins, the bison's front leg appears partially missing, with part of the leg visibly abraded away while the hoof and body remain intact.
Compare the front leg carefully against a normal 1927-D reverse to see the difference.
Do not confuse this with plain old wear. A heavily circulated coin loses leg detail gradually and evenly across the entire lower body.
The Three-and-a-Half Legs error shows a specific, localized absence on one leg while surrounding details remain relatively sharp. Also watch for coins that have been deliberately altered by scraping or tooling the leg area to mimic this variety.
No specific price range is adopted here because value depends heavily on the coin's overall condition, the clarity of the error, and third-party attribution.
2. 1927 Buffalo Nickel — Doubled Die Obverse
A Doubled Die Obverse has been reported on the 1927-S Buffalo Nickel. The diagnostic involves examining obverse lettering and design elements for consistent doubling, which shows as separation or notching on features like letters or the date.
The key word is consistent: true die doubling repeats in the same direction across multiple elements.
Machine doubling looks superficially similar but tends to produce a flat, shelf-like appearance rather than distinct raised separation. Worn die contours and odd reflections under magnification can also fool you.
Tilt the coin under different light angles and compare against a normal 1927-S obverse.
Value for a confirmed doubled die depends on the strength of the doubling, the coin's grade, and how well the effect survives any circulation wear. No numerical price range is adopted for this variety.
3. 1927 Buffalo Nickel — Repunched Mintmark
Repunched mintmark varieties have been reported on 1927 Buffalo Nickels. These occur when the mintmark punch was applied more than once, leaving traces of an earlier position beneath or beside the final letter.
Under magnification, look for remnants of a second D or S slightly offset from the primary mark.
This is different from machine doubling, which creates flat shelving around the letter. A true repunched mintmark shows a distinctly separate impression, sometimes at a noticeably different angle.
Die chips or corrosion near the mintmark area can also mimic the appearance, so compare your coin at matching magnification against a confirmed normal example.
Value varies with the visibility of the repunching and the coin's condition. No specific price is adopted for this category.
4. 1927 Buffalo Nickel — Die Crack / Die Chip
Die cracks and die chips have been reported on 1927 Buffalo Nickels. A die crack appears as a thin raised line running across the coin's surface, caused by a fracture in the steel die during production.
A die chip shows up as a small raised blob, usually within a letter or design element. When a crack reaches the rim and breaks away a section, it becomes a cud, which is a larger raised area at the edge.
Do not confuse die cracks with scratches. Scratches are incuse, meaning they go into the surface.
Die cracks are raised above it. Corrosion or foreign material stuck to the surface can also look like a chip at first glance, so inspect under good magnification.
Pricing depends on the size, location, and visual impact of the crack or chip, plus the coin's overall grade. No numerical range is adopted here.
