While a scarce coin in an absolute sense, the 1916-S Buffalo nickel is actually the least challenging of the S-mint teen dates in the series and is easier to locate than its higher-mintage Denver-mint counterpart from 1916. For an early S-mint Buffalo nickel, the strike is generally decent and overall luster is often impressive. Gem examples are available for a price, though in MS67 the coin is quite rare, with fewer than a dozen combined examples graded by either PCGS or NGC.
| coinage-type | Buffalo nickel |
| desg | MS |
| designer | James Earle Fraser |
| diameter | 21.2 |
| edge | Plain |
| material | 75% copper; 25% nickel |
| mint-mark | S |
| mintage | 11,860,000 |
| ngc-id | 22RC |
| obverse-description | James Earle Fraser's famous and simple design depicts a Native American chief with the word LIBERTY from 1-2 o'clock. The date is placed on the lower left of the chieftain's bust. |
| pcgs-link | 3933 |
| pcgs-number | 3933 |
| reverse-description | A full portrait of the bison, Black Diamond, with the words UNITED STATES oF AMERICA at the top periphery with the motto E PLURIBUS UNUM just underneath. The denomination FIVE CENTS is spelled out at the bottom. For the Type 1, the denomination is embossed on a flat surface. |
| weight-grams | 5 |
| year-display | 1913-1938 |