The 1918-S Buffalo nickel is one of the rarest early mintmarked issues in the series, with a relatively small mintage of 4,882,000 and approximately known 4,500 survivors. Challenging in all grades, the coin is rare in uncirculated grades and particularly so in Gem grades. Both PCGS and NGC have certified just one example each in MS66 and only a collective few dozen in the grades of MS65.
| coinage-type | Buffalo nickel |
| desg | MS |
| designer | James Earle Fraser |
| diameter | 21.2 |
| edge | Plain |
| material | 75% copper; 25% nickel |
| mint-mark | S |
| mintage | 4,882,000 |
| ngc-id | 22RK |
| 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 | 3940 |
| pcgs-number | 3940 |
| 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 |