Lot 018Coin values
1917-S Buffalo Nickel
SAN FRANCISCO (S) · 75% COPPER, 25% NICKEL · 4,193,000 STRUCK
Worth about $2.75–$28 circulated and $2,050–$2,950 in MS-65.
The 1917-S Buffalo Nickel is a scarcer date from the San Francisco Mint, with 4,193,000 pieces struck. In circulated grades (G-4 to EF-40) our estimate is $2.75–$28, and a well-preserved MS-65 example is estimated at $2,050–$2,950.
1917-SSan Francisco (S)
Catalogue medallion. We do not yet hold a licensed photograph of this exact date and mint, so none is shown rather than one with a different date.
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- Mint
- San Francisco (S)
- Composition
- 75% copper, 25% nickel
- Mintage
- 4,193,000
- Weight and size
- 5 g · 21.2 mm
- Designer
- James Earle Fraser
Scarcer than 83% of the 64 issues in the Buffalo series with a recorded mintage. 4,193,000 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 1917-S Buffalo
How much is a 1917-S Buffalo Nickel worth?
Lustre's editorial estimate (Oct 2026) is $2.75–$28 for circulated examples (G-4 to EF-40) and $2,050–$2,950 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 1917-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 1917-S Buffalo Nickels were minted?
4,193,000 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 1917-S Buffalo Nickel rare?
It is a scarcer date. It is worth more than a common date in better grades.
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.