1926 Buffalo Nickel

While several Buffalo nickels in the series are quite scarce, 1926 saw the production of the only Buffalo nickel to have a mintage of less than 1 million. The 1926-S had a very low yield of just 970,000 pieces struck, and the overall scarcity of this issue is definitely reflected in its prices. Even in Good-4, the 1926-S has a price of around $20, though as the grade climbs, so, too, do values; a 1926-S in MS-63 costs $10,000! Thankfully, for coin collectors on tight budgets, the other two issues from 1926 boast far more modest prices. A 1926-D costs only $10 to $15 in lower circulated grades, and the 1926 issue from Philadelphia can be had for about $1 in Good-4. 

Those who are shopping around for Buffalo nickels will quickly notice the lack of well-struck examples, especially in the case of branch mint issues. This is true across the board for all Buffalo nickels, which were made during the years 1913 through 1938, and even more so for Buffalo nickels produced during the 1920s. Be sure to cherrypick for the nicest 1926 Buffalo nickels you can find, and be extra mindful about strike when buying 1926-D and 1926-S Buffalo nickels, which are the most notorious for being weakly struck that year.