1919-S
| Weight | 5 g |
| Diameter | 21.2 mm |
| Mint | San Francisco |
| Strike | Circulation strike |
| Mintage | 7,521,000 |
| Edge | Plain |
| Alignment | ↑↓ Coin |
| Composition | 75% Copper, 25% Nickel |
| Melt value | — |
| Designer | James Earle Fraser |
| Collector's Key ID | CK-1286 |
| Last edited |
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No additional varieties recorded for this strike.
External references
San Francisco's 1919 Buffalo nickel mintage was 7,521,000 coins, comparable to Denver and establishing the 1919-S as another semi-key from the immediate post-war period. The coin shares the typical Buffalo nickel semi-key profile: scarce in higher circulated grades, genuinely difficult in Mint State, and featuring variable strike quality that makes well-struck examples prized by specialists.
Strike characteristics for 1919-S nickels are often poor, with soft obverse portrait detail and weak reverse bison hair definition. Collectors seeking sharp examples face a double challenge: finding the coin in higher grades at all, and finding one with acceptable strike quality. Full-strike MS64 or better 1919-S nickels are rare and command significant premiums over typical strike examples at the same technical grade.
The 1919-S fills out the Buffalo nickel semi-key tier alongside the 1914-D, 1914-S, 1915-S, and 1919-D. All five are essential acquisitions for collectors building complete Buffalo sets, and together they represent the main budget-consuming challenges for intermediate-level Buffalo nickel collecting before the true key dates enter the picture.
Reference data only — not an appraisal.
| Grade | Description | Low | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| G-4 | Good (G) | $10 | $11.50 |
| VG-8 | Very Good (VG) | $25 | $29 |
| F-12 | Fine (F) | $45 | $52 |
| VF-20 | Very Fine (VF) | $100 | $116 |
| EF-40 | Extremely Fine (EF) | $210 | $240 |
| AU-50 | About Uncirculated (AU) | $305 | $350 |
| MS-60 | Uncirculated (MS) | $560 | $645 |
| MS-63 | Choice Uncirculated (MS) | $1,690 | $1,790 |
How much is a 1919-S Buffalo Nickel worth?
How many 1919-S Buffalo Nickels were minted?
What is a 1919-S Buffalo Nickel made of?
What is the melt value of a 1919-S Buffalo Nickel?
Is the 1919-S Buffalo Nickel a key date?
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