1924-D Buffalo nickels are moderately scarce, regardless of value or coin quality. Unlike the San Francisco Mint Buffalo nickels, those from Denver were not routinely hoarded from circulation for budding collectors, as they didn’t hold the same appeal of the San Francisco minted nickels. This accounts for their greater rarity, despite similar mintages in most years. Fortunately, this makes these coins worth quite a bit more than their non-mint marked Philadelphia alternatives.
History of the Denver Mint
The predecessors of the Denver Mint were the men of Clark, Gruber and Company. During the Pikes Peak Gold Rush, they coined gold dust brought from the gold fields by the miners. In 1858, the men founded a brokerage firm and established an assay office in Denver at the beginning of the Colorado Gold Rush. Wanting to save on shipping and insurance costs associated with shipping gold back east, the firm opened a private mint, which later turned into an official branch of the U.S. Mint.
1924-D Buffalo Nickel Worth
The 1924-D nickel is a very important piece of minting history, as one of the few nickels minted in Denver. An average 1924-D Buffalo nickel is valued at around nine dollars. Like many older coins, the value is tied to the condition of the coin. Collectors should look for clear edges on the design, and a clear engraving of the date, mint mark, and cent-value. Understandably, coins that have been preserved over the years, or are in mint condition, will sell for a higher price than coins that show a lot of wear. These coins are highly sought after, and rare - a mint condition 1924-D Buffalo nickel is worth almost four-hundred and fifty dollars.
Type of coin: Nickel
Year: 1924
Mint Mark: Denver
Total mintage: 5,258,000
Metal content: 75% Copper, 25% Nickel
Face value: Five Cents
Weight: 5 grams
Edge: Plain
Designer: James Earle Fraser
Diameter: 21.2 millimeters