The 1919-S Buffalo nickel is a highly scarce San Francisco issue, with uncirculated examples proving rare and Gems nearly elusive. Finding a well-struck specimen with decent, even color can be harder still. The mintage of this coin stands at 7,521,000, which actually is nowhere near the lowest production figure for any of the early Buffalo nickels. However, relatively few of these pieces were saved by collectors in any grade and an estimated number of fewer than 1,000 were kept in uncirculated condition.
| coinage-type | Buffalo nickel |
| desg | MS |
| designer | James Earle Fraser |
| diameter | 21.2 |
| edge | Plain |
| material | 75% copper; 25% nickel |
| mint-mark | S |
| mintage | 7,521,000 |
| ngc-id | 22RN |
| 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 | 3943 |
| pcgs-number | 3943 |
| 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 |