Saturday 18th May 2013

Five Cent Menu

Indian Head "Buffalo" Nickel 1913 - 1938

While Theodore Roosevelt was no longer in office, his desire to have more classical designs on our coins was very much alive.

The Coinage Act of 1890 permitted a change in coin design after 25 years. Not about to pass up the opportunity Secretary of the Treasury Franklin MacVeagh, MacVeagh, bypassing the competent but mediocre Barber, and began the process for a new design. James Earle Fraser, a former assistant to Saint-Gaudens and a prolific artist created a truly unique design for the new coin. Unlike earlier "Indian" designs, Fraser’s design accurately portrays a male Native American on the obverse, and an American Bison on the reverse.

Fraser’s design was beautiful, and for that reason was favored by Secretary MacVeagh. However, its allure seemed to escape chief engraver Barber. The design remained unchanged over Barber’s objections. On March 4, 1913, coins from the first bag to go into circulation were presented to outgoing President Taft and 33 Indian chiefs at the groundbreaking ceremonies for the National Memorial to the North American Indian at Fort Wadsworth, New York.

Vital Stats. Type 1 Designer: James Earle Fraser Type 2 Designer: James Earle Fraser, modified by Charles E. Barber Diameter: 21.2 millimeters Metal content: Copper: 75% Nickel: 25% Weight: 5 grams Edge: Plain Mint Mark Location: Reverse below "FIVE CENTS" Type 1, Date on Mound Year/ Mint Mark Circulation Strikes 1913 30,992,000 1913 D 5,337,000 1913 S 2,105,000	1913 U.S. Five Cent Coin Type 1 (1913 only on Raised Ground) As early as April, rapid wear of the words FIVE CENTS became evident on the coins reverse. The denomination FIVE CENTS was on a raised mound. Barber finally had his oppertunity to modify Fraser’s design. These type 1 nickels were minted only during the first few months of 1913.
Type 2, Date In Exergue	U.S. Five Cent Coin Type 2 "FIVE CENTS" In Recess Barber cut away the mound, creating an exergue into which the FIVE CENTS was set. Even though Barber had solved the reverse wear problem, he kept going. He smoothed out much detail and granularity in both the Indian’s portrait and the bison’s hide. Because of this, much of the artistic impact was lost. This resulted in the Type 2 Buffalo Nickel. 1918 over 1917 Buffalo Nickel Example 1937 D Three Legged Buffalo Example
In 1916, Barber made additional minor modifications. Some experts consider this a third subtype, but most type collectors only recognize the Type 1 and 2 coins as true varieties. What really seems strange is with all his modifications, Barber never worked on the problem of the date wearing down too rapidly.