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1930-S
| Weight | 5 g |
| Diameter | 21.2 mm |
| Mint | San Francisco |
| Strike | Circulation strike |
| Mintage | 5,435,000 |
| Edge | Plain |
| Alignment | ↑↓ Coin |
| Composition | 75% Copper, 25% Nickel |
| Melt value | — |
| Designer | James Earle Fraser |
| Collector's Key ID | CK-1314 |
Collection
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No additional varieties recorded for this strike.
External references
San Francisco's 1930 Buffalo nickel mintage was 5,435,000 coins, a moderate figure for the period. Denver struck no Buffalo nickels in 1930, making the 1930-S the only branch mint entry for the year alongside the Philadelphia issue. The coin is available in circulated grades and accessible in Mint State through specialist channels at modest premiums.
Strike characteristics for 1930-S are variable and often soft, reflecting the period's declining die maintenance at San Francisco as the Depression-era cost pressures began to affect Mint operations. Well-struck examples are prized and command premiums over typical strike pieces at the same technical grade. Full-strike Gem 1930-S nickels are scarce and valued by specialists building high-grade sets.
The 1930-S was produced during the first year of the Depression. Commercial demand was dropping, and the Mint was cutting back production accordingly. The coins that did reach circulation were used hard as Americans stretched their limited resources. Surviving high-grade examples often came from contemporary collectors who set aside current-year coins despite the economic difficulties, preserving representative examples that would later become the foundation of modern Buffalo nickel collections.
Reference data only — not an appraisal.
| Grade | Description | Low | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| G-4 | Good (G) | $1 | $1 |
| VG-8 | Very Good (VG) | $1.50 | $1.50 |
| F-12 | Fine (F) | $2 | $2.50 |
| VF-20 | Very Fine (VF) | $3 | $3.50 |
| EF-40 | Extremely Fine (EF) | $12.50 | $14.50 |
| AU-50 | About Uncirculated (AU) | $28 | $32 |
| MS-60 | Uncirculated (MS) | $53 | $61 |
| MS-63 | Choice Uncirculated (MS) | $126 | $133 |
How much is a 1930-S Buffalo Nickel worth?
How many 1930-S Buffalo Nickels were minted?
What is a 1930-S Buffalo Nickel made of?
What is the melt value of a 1930-S Buffalo Nickel?
Is the 1930-S Buffalo Nickel a key date?
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