Learn more about the value and history of this beautiful coin.
A modern coin, the gold buffalo coin nevertheless draws its design elements from history. It is a one-ounce, .9999 pure 24-carat gold coin—the first of that type from the U.S. mint.
The gold buffalo coin is America’s answer to other such 24-carat gold coins as the Canadian maple leaf, Austrian philharmonic, and Australian kangaroo. As a “pure” gold coin, it is beautiful, valuable—and soft. It is not intended for rough circulation, and should be physically protected (with a plastic case, for instance) or safely stored for maximum value retention.
Bearing a face value of $US50.00 guaranteed by the U.S. government, its true value is of course determined by its gold content—typically many times its face value in dollars. Its obverse (front side) features the side view of a Native American chieftain’s head. The reverse features an American bison in full profile.
The design for the gold buffalo coin is drawn from the 1913 Indian head nickel. That coin’s design came from the creative mind of James Earle Fraser. Though a native of Minnesota, Fraser grew up in the American west during the late 1800s. Frontier images from the time formed his concept for the nickel’s design in the new century.
Native American Chieftain
The profile view of the Native American chieftain’s head—responsible for the informal reference to the original coins of this design as Indian head nickels—is said to be a composite design drawn from several actual chieftains’ features. The word “LIBERTY” and the year of mintage are also engraved on the front side.
American Bison
The bison featured on the reverse side of the coin is Black Diamond, a large “buffalo” from New York City’s Central Park Zoo early in the 20th century. Occupying, as he does, most of the real estate on this side of the coin, several words and numbers are also artfully engraved. These include, “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “E PLURIBUS UNUM,” “IN GOD WE TRUST,” and the coin’s weight, purity, metal content, and face value.
Most American coins feature persons and landmarks from its eastern region. The Buffalo coin reaches out to the west. As America’s contribution to the pantheon of modern 24-karat bullion coins, it is a well-executed design, a beautiful work of art, and a history lesson in brief. In short, it is respectable in the extreme. Its value will never be less than the price of gold, and may someday be worth considerably more.
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