The composition of the United States five-cent piece, commonly known as the “Buffalo nickel,” is a matter of public interest. These coins, minted from 1913 to 1938, were not produced using silver. The metallic content of these coins consists primarily of copper and nickel.
Understanding the metallic makeup of historical coinage is essential for numismatists and those interested in monetary history. The absence of precious metals like silver in the Buffalo nickel differentiates it from other U.S. coins of the era, which were sometimes composed of silver alloys. This difference impacts the intrinsic value and historical significance attributed to the specific coin.