1914 Nickel Value (2026 Guide): Errors List, “D”, “S” & No Mint Mark Worth

The 1914 Buffalo Nickel comes in four distinct varieties — No Mint Mark, D, S, and Proof — and their values diverge sharply.

A worn No Mint Mark trades at $21.92 in Good; that same grade on a 1914-D costs $78.48. Push either coin into Mint State, and the gap widens further: $416.67 versus $1,236.67. The 1914-S tells its own story — scarcer in gem grades than the D, it peaks at $1,893.33 in MS, quietly outpacing its Denver counterpart at the top of the market.

Only the Proof stands apart, with no circulated equivalent and a single PR price of $2,190. Grade and mint origin, not the date alone, determine 1914 Nickel Value.

 

1914 Nickel Value By Variety

Where a 1914 nickel was minted matters more than most collectors expect. If you know the grade of your coin, you can find the exact price below in the Value Guides section.

Also Read: Top 60+ Most Valuable Buffalo Nickels Worth Money

 

Top 10 Most Valuable 1914 Nickel Worth Money

A 1914 PR 68 has sold for $49,450 — more than 5x the $9,000 realized by a PR 67 of the same variety. That single grade point separates a serious coin from a trophy coin.

The 1914-D 67 at $32,775 is worth noting. Denver’s relatively low mintage of 3.9 million already commands a premium in circulated grades, but in gem uncirculated, surviving examples are rare enough that auction results reflect genuine scarcity rather than speculative demand.

The Philadelphia 67 trails slightly at $30,550 — tighter supply of high-grade survivors, not collector preference, is likely driving that compression at the top.

The 1914/(3) Overdate cluster — $9,600 at MS-64, $4,320 at 63, $2,880 at 62 — shows a steep but consistent grade premium. This variety carries an additional layer of collector demand beyond date and mint, yet its ceiling remains well below the top Proofs and gem business strikes, suggesting the market views it as a specialty niche rather than a headline coin.

Across all 1914 issues, value accelerates sharply above MS-65/PR-65. Below that threshold, premiums are real but incremental. Above it, each grade point can double or triple realized prices — which is precisely where the serious money in 1914 Nickel Value is made.

 

History of the 1914 Nickel

By 1914, the Buffalo Nickel was only in its second year — yet it was already a coin born out of friction. The Taft administration had pushed to replace Charles Barber’s dated Liberty Head design, commissioning sculptor James Earle Fraser for the job.

Fraser was an unusual choice. He had grown up in South Dakota, slept wrapped in buffalo skins as a child, and learned to make arrowheads from Sioux children. The imagery he put on the coin wasn’t research — it was memory.

What Fraser put on that coin was, quietly, a eulogy. The open frontier he had grown up on was gone. The chiefs whose faces he sketched were aging figures of a displaced culture. The buffalo itself was nearly extinct in the wild.

The high-relief design wore quickly in circulation — particularly on the date — a problem never fully solved across its entire 25-year run. The coin wasn’t nostalgia. It was a document — and that tension between what America had been and what it was becoming is pressed into every 1914 nickel that survives today.

Also Read: Top 100 Rarest Nickels Worth Money (Most Expensive)

 

Is Your 1914 Nickel Rare?

Rarity scores don’t lie — and across all four 1914 varieties, not a single one ranks as common. The 1914-S leads the group at 66 (Legendary, ranked 28th in the series), followed by the 1914-D at 62 (Ultra Rare, ranked 37th) — figures that reflect just how thin the surviving population really is. Check your own coins against these rankings instantly with the CoinValueChecker App.

 

Key Features of the 1914 Nickel

The 1914 Buffalo Nickel is 21.2mm of copper-nickel alloy — but every square millimeter of it was a decision.

The Obverse of the 1914 Nickel

The obverse is dominated by an oversized bust of a Native American warrior — not a single individual, but a composite portrait Fraser built from three real men: Chief Iron Tail of the Sioux, Big Tree of the Kiowa, and Two Moons of the Cheyenne.

The portrait faces right, two feathers in the hair, a braid running down the side. The date sits at the truncation of the bust, precisely where wear strikes first — on heavily circulated examples, it’s often the first detail to disappear entirely.

Fraser’s initial “F” appears just below the date, small enough to miss, yet durable enough to outlast the date itself on most worn specimens. LIBERTY is positioned at 2 o’clock along the rim, understated and easy to overlook.

The Reverse of the 1914 Nickel

The bison stands on a flat strip of land, four legs visible, head level.

The denomination FIVE CENTS is recessed beneath — a correction carried over from 1913, when the original raised mound wore through within months of release.

Fraser later wrote that his bison model “refused point blank to permit me to get side views of him, and stubbornly showed his front face most of the time” — and yet the resulting profile became one of the most recognized animal portraits in American coinage.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA arcs across the top periphery, with E PLURIBUS UNUM tucked immediately beneath it.

Other Feature of the 1914 Nickel

The 1914 Buffalo Nickel carries no “In God We Trust” motto. Mint Director George Roberts had instructed Fraser that the motto was not required, adding that nothing should appear on the coin that wasn’t necessary.

The omission was deliberate — and makes the 1914 nickel one of the few 20th-century U.S. circulation coins to go without it.

The edge is plain, unlettered, and unreeeded. At 21.2mm in diameter and 5 grams, the composition is 75% copper and 25% nickel — a pairing that gave the coin its name but did little to help it hold detail under circulation pressure.

Also Read: Top 100 Most Valuable Jefferson Nickels Worth Money List (1938-Present)

 

1914 Nickel Mintage & Survival Data

Philadelphia struck over 20 million pieces in 1914 — by far the largest output of the three mints — yet only around 12,000 are known to survive today, a attrition rate that leaves just 0.058% of the original mintage accounted for.

Denver and San Francisco produced far fewer coins to begin with, but the 1914-D retains a 0.20% survival rate against a mintage of 3.9 million, while the 1914-S — struck in even smaller numbers — actually shows a slightly higher survival rate of 0.317%, suggesting more examples were set aside rather than spent into circulation.

With only 1,275 struck and approximately 1,050 still accounted for, its 82% survival rate reflects exactly what Proof coinage was intended to do — be preserved, not circulated. It’s the expected outcome of coins that were sold directly to collectors from the day they were minted.

High mintage did not translate to high availability. A century of circulation, loss, and melt has compressed the field considerably — which is precisely what underpins current 1914 Nickel Value across all four varieties.

Also Read: Jefferson Nickel Value (1938-Present)

 

The Easy Way to Know Your 1914 Nickel Value

Mint mark, grade, and strike quality — these three factors determine where any 1914 nickel sits on the value chart, and they’re worth establishing in that order before consulting any price guide.

The mint mark is on the reverse, below the bison. No mark is Philadelphia; “D” is Denver; “S” is San Francisco. Grade from the horn down — full horn detail is the single most consequential detail on this coin, separating a standard Mint State example from a premium one. Strike matters too, particularly on San Francisco issues, where weakness is common enough to affect grade perception significantly.

Use CoinValueChecker App to pin down your coin’s value once you have those three factors in hand.

For a fast, accurate starting point, the  cross-references mint mark, grade, and current market data to give you a reliable value range instantly.

 

1914 Nickel Value Guides

The 1914 Buffalo Nickel was struck at three mints plus a limited Proof issue — four distinct varieties, each with its own rarity profile and market behavior.

• • 1914 No Mint Mark Nickel — The most available of the four in circulated grades, yet genuine Mint State examples are scarcer than the mintage suggests.
  • 1914-D Nickel — The semi-key of the series. Scarce across all grades, with premiums that accelerate sharply above MS-64.
  • 1914-S Nickel — More survivors in collectible condition than the D, but strike inconsistency makes full horn examples a meaningful premium over typical specimens.
  • 1914 Proof Nickel — Struck exclusively for collectors and never circulated. The question here isn’t survival — it’s grade.

 

1914 No Mint Mark Nickel Value

Despite a production volume dwarfing both Denver and San Francisco combined, the 1914 No Mint Mark is only slightly scarcer in surviving examples than the 1914-S — a disparity that points directly to how thoroughly Philadelphia coins circulated.

Where the Philadelphia strike distinguishes itself is in strike consistency. Fully detailed horns and fur on Mint State examples are not unusual — a rarity on branch mint issues of the same year.

The PCGS population data tells the story at the upper grades: 180 examples certified at MS-66, dropping to just 25 at MS-66+, 50 at MS-67, and only 5 at MS-67+. The price guide reflects that compression directly — MS-66 is valued at $1,550, MS-67 at $8,250, and MS-67+ at $32,500. The auction record confirms the ceiling: an MS-67+ realized $30,550 at Legend Rare Coin Auctions in December 2022.

A small number of condition-census examples also show die clash impressions from the E PLURIBUS UNUM motto — a production artifact that adds a layer of interest for variety specialists.

The chart below tracks realized prices for the 1914 No Mint Mark Nickel — where the gap between MS-66 and MS-67 is not incremental, but exponential.

Grade compression at the top of the population makes every recent sale a data point worth watching.

 

1914-D Nickel Value

The 1914-D is quite rare in circulated grades and stands as one of the definitive semi-key dates in the Buffalo Nickel series. In MS65 or better, it is roughly equal in rarity to the 1913-D Type 2 and the 1915-D.

Luster carries the characteristic early Denver satin look, and strike is generally considered acceptable for the series — a relative advantage over the 1914-S, where weakness is the norm.

The value curve is steep. Circulated examples run from $78.48 in Good to $340 at AU. Average Mint State sits at $1,236.67, but condition-census pieces reach a different tier.

The auction record stands at $32,775 for a PCGS MS67, realized at Bowers & Merena in January 2005. That record has held for two decades — a reflection of how rarely a 1914-D surfaces at that grade.

Recent MS67 results have settled lower, typically between $3,600 and $7,800, with one CAC-approved outlier reaching $15,000 in 2019 on the strength of exceptional gold and purple toning.

The broader trend at the top grades reflects gradual price compression as population reports have grown — not a collapse in demand, but a recalibration as more examples have been certified.

This chart tracks every major realized price for the 1914-D Buffalo Nickel, mapping how grade and market timing have shaped its auction history.

This chart reflects the 1914-D’s market activity over time, revealing how collector demand has shifted across grade tiers.

 

1914-S Nickel Value

The 1914-S operates by different rules entirely. It is considerably easier to locate in circulated grades than the 1914-D. Strike is somewhat soft, consistent with most San Francisco Buffalo Nickel issues. The inversion is counterintuitive: more survivors in lower grades, fewer at the top.

In practice, a 1914-S grading MS64 can look considerably weaker than a Philadelphia coin at the same number — the horn and hair braid are the first casualties of a soft San Francisco die, and a well-struck example commands a premium that the grade alone doesn’t reflect.

The auction record confirms the S-mint’s premium at the upper end. GreatCollections has sold 330 examples over the past 15 years, ranging from $11 to $34,650 across grades 1 through 68. That ceiling — $34,650 — edges past the 1914-D’s top result, a reflection of just how scarce a sharply struck, gem-quality 1914-S truly is.

This chart documents the auction history of the 1914-S Buffalo Nickel, capturing how strike quality and grade scarcity have driven realized prices at the top of the market.

This chart illustrates the 1914-S’s market activity over time, tracing the demand patterns that distinguish this S-mint issue from its 1914 counterparts.

 

1914 Proof Nickel Value

The 1914 Proof is a Matte Proof — a finish that the Philadelphia Mint applied to Proof Buffalo Nickels from 1913 through 1916, representing a deliberate departure from the brilliant mirror surfaces collectors had known for decades.

The surface is sandy rather than reflective, and what distinguishes a genuine Matte Proof from a business strike is not immediately obvious — the markers are crisp design detail, flawless fields, and sharply squared rims.

The 1914 Proof carries the third-lowest mintage in the entire Proof Buffalo Nickel series. The PCGS population thins dramatically at the summit: only a single example has been certified at PR-68+, guided at $45,000.

The auction record stands at $49,450 for a PR-68 at Bowers & Merena in April 2005 — a result that has held as the benchmark for over two decades.

Proof Buffalo Nickels were struck across only six years of the series’ 25-year run, which means the 1914 Proof is not just a scarce date — it belongs to a genuinely short series within a series.

Fewer than a handful of PR-68 examples have ever come to market — the chart below is where that rarity gets priced.

This chart shows the market activity trends for the 1914 Proof Nickel over the past year.

Also Read: 22 Rare Nickel Errors List with Pictures (By Year)

 

Rare 1914 Nickel Error List

Not every 1914 nickel is what it appears to be — and for variety collectors, that’s precisely the point.

1. 1914/3 Overdate (FS-101)

The most significant 1914 error and the only one listed in the official Red Book. The variety was discovered in 1996 by collector R.A. Medina, with researchers John Wexler, Ron Pope, and Kevin Flynn subsequently identifying three or possibly four distinct dies.

The diagnostic shared by all is the bulbous shape of the top of the numeral “3” visible beneath the top of the “4.” The origin is straightforward: a 1913 working hub was likely repurposed for 1914 production, leaving traces of the previous year’s date pressed into the die.

Most Mint State examples sold at auction over the past 20 years have graded no higher than MS64, with the top population sitting at just three PCGS MS66 examples as of late 2024. The auction record for the variety — a nicely toned PCGS MS66 CAC example — sold at GreatCollections in February 2021 for $84,375.

In circulated grades, fewer than 500 strong examples are believed to exist, with values starting around $900 and climbing sharply with grade.

2. Off-Center Strikes

Off-center strikes occur when a planchet is misaligned under the dies at the moment of striking, leaving part of the design missing and a crescent of blank metal visible.

On a 1914 Buffalo Nickel, the degree of misalignment determines both visual impact and value — a 10–15% off-center piece is collectible but common; examples struck 20% or more off-center with a fully readable date are the ones that draw serious bids.

The date placement on the Buffalo Nickel — low on the obverse near the bust truncation — makes date-visible off-center strikes particularly difficult to find, as that area of the coin is among the first to fall outside the strike zone.

A well-centered date on a dramatically off-center 1914 example can bring several hundred to over a thousand dollars depending on the degree of misalignment and overall preservation.

3. Die Clash Errors

On a small number of 1914 Philadelphia condition-census examples, die clash impressions from the E PLURIBUS UNUM motto are visible on the obverse field.

A die clash occurs when the obverse and reverse dies strike each other without a planchet between them, transferring a ghost impression of each die onto the other. On the 1914, the clash marks typically appear as faint incuse lettering in the field near the Indian’s portrait — subtle enough to miss without magnification, but meaningful to variety specialists.

Clashed die examples trade at modest premiums over normal coins in circulated grades, but on high-grade Mint State pieces where the clash is bold and undisturbed, the premium becomes more substantial.

 

Where to Sell Your 1914 Nickel?

When you’re ready to sell, the right venue depends entirely on what your coin grades.

Check out now: Best Places To Sell Coins Online (Pros & Cons)

 

1914 Nickel Market Trend

*Market Trend Chart showing the number of people paying attention to this coin.

 

FAQ about the 1914 Nickel

1. What makes the 1914-D nickel more valuable than the Philadelphia issue?

It comes down to surviving population, not just original mintage. Denver struck far fewer coins, and a higher proportion of those entered heavy circulation without being saved. Today, the 1914-D is scarce across all grades — not just at the top — which drives its premium starting from Good all the way through gem Mint State.

2. How do I tell which mint produced my 1914 nickel?

Flip the coin to the reverse and look below the bison, beneath the “FIVE CENTS” inscription. A “D” indicates Denver, an “S” means San Francisco. No mint mark means Philadelphia. The mark is small and can be obscured on worn examples, so magnification helps.

3. Why does the date on my 1914 Buffalo Nickel look worn or faded?

The date was positioned on a raised area of the design that received direct contact during circulation. It was among the first details to wear away on any Buffalo Nickel — even lightly circulated examples can show date weakness. This is a known design flaw, not damage, and it affects value accordingly.

4. What is the 1914/3 overdate and how do I identify it?

The 1914/3 is a die variety where traces of a “3” are visible beneath the “4” in the date. The key diagnostic is a bulbous curve at the top of the “4” where the underlying “3” bleeds through. It requires magnification to confirm, and strong examples command significant premiums — starting around $900 in circulated grades and reaching five figures in gem condition.

5. Does the 1914 Proof nickel look different from a regular business strike?

Yes, noticeably so. The 1914 Proof is a Matte Proof, meaning its surfaces have a fine, sandy texture rather than the bright mirror finish most collectors associate with proof coinage. The rims are sharply squared, the fields are flawless, and design details are crisper than on any business strike. Without knowing what to look for, it can be mistaken for a high-grade circulation coin.

6. Is a 1914 nickel with no “In God We Trust” motto normal?

Completely normal — all Buffalo Nickels, including the 1914, were deliberately struck without that motto. The Mint Director at the time told Fraser it wasn’t required, and Fraser left it off entirely. It’s one of the few 20th-century U.S. circulating coins to omit it, but it’s not an error and adds no premium.

7. How much does strike quality actually affect the value of a 1914-S nickel?

Significantly more than most collectors realize. San Francisco strikes from this era are notorious for soft, mushy detail — particularly on the bison’s horn and the Indian’s hair braid. A well-struck 1914-S in MS64 can easily outprice a weakly struck MS65 of the same date. Full horn detail is the single most important quality marker to check before buying or selling.

8. What grade should I aim for if I want a collectible 1914 nickel on a budget?

A Fine to Very Fine example with a clear date and visible horn is the practical sweet spot for most collectors. It’s affordable, historically representative, and still shows enough design detail to appreciate the coin properly. Avoid dateless or heavily worn examples — they’re essentially uncollectible for numismatic purposes.

9. Should I clean my 1914 nickel before selling it?

Never. Cleaning removes original surface patina, lowers grade, and in many cases permanently disqualifies a coin from professional certification. A naturally toned, even heavily worn coin with original surfaces will always be worth more to a serious buyer than a cleaned one. The market is extremely sensitive to artificial cleaning on early 20th-century U.S. coinage.

10. Where is the best place to sell a high-grade 1914 nickel?

For circulated examples, established online platforms and local dealers are practical options. For anything grading MS65 or above — or for the 1914/3 overdate variety — major auction houses like Heritage Auctions or GreatCollections will reach the widest pool of serious buyers and typically produce stronger realized prices than private sales.