Buffalo Nickels - Type 2 (1913-1938) Removal of the mound upon which the reverse bison stood created the second type design for this popular five cent type. The Buffalo nickel, also known as the Bison head or Indian nickel was struck for 25 years from 1913 to 1938. It remains one of the most iconic designs in U.S. numismatics. Created by sculptor James Earl Frasier, the coin features a realistic Indian portrait on the obverse and a representation of a bison on the reverse. Both of these motifs were intended to represent lifelike portraits, a departure from the stylized works on previous coins. The bison was modeled after “Black Diamond” a living buffalo from the New York Central Park Zoo. The Indian portrait was a composite made from three separate actual Native American models. This classic design was a product of the rare coin renaissance that changed the face of U.S. coinage from 1907 – 1921.
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