Buffalo Nickels (Get weekly email)

The Buffalo nickel (also known as the Indian Head) was designed by sculptor James Earl Fraser and features the head of an Indian Chief with the word “Liberty” on the obverse and a buffalo (American bison) on the reverse. First released in February 1913, the buffalo was originally pictured standing on a mound; however, the mound caused the denomination to be so raised that it often completely wore off. By May of 1913, new reverse dies had been prepared to feature the buffalo standing on a level plain.

Because of their size and the percentage of the ...surface that was taken up with the images, Buffalo nickels were a favorite for "Hobo Nickels," a form of American folk art in which carvers modified the pictures on the coins (for example, the Indian Chief’s head may be altered to depict a man wearing a hat, or the buffalo may be turned into a steam train).