1925 Nickel Coin Value: Errors List, “D”, “S” & No Mint Mark Worth

1925 Nickel value ranges from $0.05 face value to $87,400. That record sale was a Grade 66 example sold through Bowers and Merena in August 2009. If you’re curious what yours might be worth, upload a photo of your coin below for a quick value range. You can also scroll down to check recent eBay sales and see what 1925 Nickels are actually selling for right now.

 

1925 Nickel Value By Variety

Here’s what 1925 Buffalo Nickels are bringing across all three mint varieties, from beat-up Good condition through Mint State.

Know your grade? Jump to the Value Guides section below for exact pricing.

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

 

Top 10 Most Valuable 1925 Nickel Worth Money

The king of the 1925 series is a 1925-S graded MS-66 by NGC. It hammered for $87,400 at Bowers & Merena in August 2009. That’s the all-time record for any 1925 Buffalo Nickel, and it hasn’t been touched since. Gem San Francisco Buffalos almost never come to market, so when one does, bidders go to war.

Right behind it sits a 1925-D MS-66 that brought $57,500 at Heritage Auctions in August 2007, also NGC-certified. The Philadelphia MS-67 hit $32,200 at Bowers & Merena in August 2006 — proof that even the “common” variety gets serious money at the top. Further down the list, a 1925-S MS-65 realized $38,400, and the 1925-S Two Feathers FS-401 in MS-64 sold for $4,406 at Heritage Auctions in April 2014.

 

History of the 1925 Nickel

The 1925 Buffalo Nickel landed in pockets just one year after the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924. President Calvin Coolidge signed that law granting full citizenship to all Native Americans born in the U.S. — the very people whose likeness Americans handled in loose change every day. That’s a detail worth sitting with.

The coin itself came from sculptor James Earle Fraser, a student of Augustus Saint-Gaudens. Taft administration officials tapped him in 1911 to create something unmistakably American. Fraser later said in a 1947 radio interview that he wanted a coin no one could confuse with another country’s.

Fraser’s design got approved in 1912 but sat in limbo for months. The Hobbs Manufacturing Company, which built slug-detection devices for nickel-operated machines, couldn’t adapt to the new coin’s profile and fought it. Treasury Secretary Franklin MacVeagh overruled them in February 1913, and production began.

By 1925, the series was thirteen years old. Its biggest engineering flaw was obvious: the date sat in raised relief on the Indian’s shoulder and wore smooth alarmingly fast. The Mint never fixed it. The series ran until 1938, when frustration over die life and weak strikes finally killed it.

Here’s the cultural tension that makes this coin fascinating. The Roaring Twenties were transforming American life at breakneck speed, yet the nickel in every pocket depicted a world already vanishing. The same Native communities just granted citizenship were being pressured to abandon their traditions. The coin circulated through that contradiction quietly, every single day.

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

 

Is Your 1925 Nickel Rare?

Mint mark and condition change everything here. The Philadelphia issue is “semi-common in circulated grades and somewhat scarce in Mint State” per PCGS CoinFacts. The 1925-D jumps to “very scarce in circulated grades and rare in Mint State.” And the 1925-S? PCGS calls it “the third rarest Buffalo in Gem condition (non-variety)” — trailing only the 1920-S and 1926-S at MS-65 and above. That’s a completely different kind of rare from the Philly coin.

Use the Coin Identifier and Value App to look up your exact coin and find out where it stands.

 

Key Features of the 1925 Nickel

Every detail on this coin was chosen to scream “American.” Front and back, Fraser packed it with frontier imagery that still holds up a century later.

The Obverse of the 1925 Nickel

You’re looking at a right-facing Native American, thought to be a composite of three real chiefs: Iron Tail (Sioux), Two Moons (Cheyenne), and Big Tree (Kiowa). Fraser sketched each one in person. That makes this one of the first U.S. coins to depict real, named people instead of some allegorical figure.

“LIBERTY” curves along the upper right. The date sits on the man’s shoulder — right where it wears off first. Fraser’s story about which chiefs he used shifted over the decades, so there’s some scholarly debate, but the composite nature is well established. On sharp examples, look for crisp braided hair, defined feathers, and strong cheekbones.

The Reverse of the 1925 Nickel

Flip it over and you’ll see a bison standing on flat ground, modeled after Black Diamond — a real buffalo at the New York Zoological Gardens (now the Bronx Zoo). That flat ground replaced the original mound from the 1913 Type I design. The change was practical: “FIVE CENTS” kept wearing away on the mound version.

“UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” runs along the top rim. “E PLURIBUS UNUM” sits above the bison’s back. The high relief on this side made weak strikes a constant headache at all three mints throughout the entire series run.

Other Features of the 1925 Nickel

Plain edge, no reeding. It weighs 5 grams with a 21.2 mm diameter. Composition is 75% copper and 25% nickel — no silver, despite what new collectors sometimes hope.

Look for the mint mark on the reverse below the buffalo. “D” means Denver, “S” means San Francisco. No mark at all? That’s Philadelphia — standard practice for the era.

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

 

1925 Nickel Mintage & Survival Data

Philadelphia cranked out 35,565,100 nickels in 1925. Denver made just 4,450,000. San Francisco landed in between at 6,256,000. Big gap at the starting line — but mintage only tells half the story.

Here’s the counterintuitive part. The 1925-D, the scarcest issue at striking, actually has the highest survival rate at 0.1573%. The Philadelphia coin? Over 35 million struck, yet only about 11,000 survive today — a survival rate of just 0.0309%. That means roughly 1 in every 3,200 Philly nickels made it to the present day in collectible shape.

The Roaring Twenties chewed through pocket change hard. And Buffalo Nickels lost their dates faster than almost any other U.S. design. The 1925-S is rated the third rarest Buffalo Nickel in Gem (MS-65) condition across the entire non-variety series.

Also Read: Jefferson Nickel Value (1938-Present)

 

The Easy Way to Know Your 1925 Nickel Value

Figuring out what your 1925 Nickel is worth doesn’t have to be complicated. Start by checking two things: the mint mark on the back of the coin and the overall condition, since both directly drive the value.

A worn, readable coin is already worth something. A sharp, well-struck example with a “D” or “S” mint mark can be worth significantly more — and a sharply struck Mint State coin with full buffalo horn detail and crisp Indian hair braid can be worth dramatically more.

Skip the guesswork and get an instant answer with the Coin Identifier and Value App. Just snap a photo of your coin, and it identifies the variety, estimates the grade, and gives you a real-time value in seconds.

 

1925 Nickel Value Guides

Three mints, three very different coins. Figure out which one you have first — that’s the biggest factor in what it’s worth.

• 1925 No Mint Mark Nickel (Philadelphia)
• 1925-D Nickel (Denver)
• 1925-S Nickel (San Francisco)

 

1925 No Mint Mark Nickel Value

This is the easiest 1925 Buffalo to find — and the one most likely sitting in your collection. Philadelphia coins generally came off the press with stronger strikes than the branch mints. Sharper buffalo horns, cleaner hair braids, better facial detail. You’ll notice the difference if you compare one side-by-side with a Denver or San Francisco piece.

PCGS CoinFacts calls the 1925 Philadelphia “semi-common in circulated grades and somewhat scarce in Mint State.” At MS-65, PCGS has certified 576 examples with 290 finer. Gems are out there, but they’re not cheap.

The top-pop story? A PCGS MS-67 sold for $32,200 at Bowers & Merena in August 2006. At the time, an MS-65 PCGS example carried a Numismedia wholesale price around $350. That’s a huge gap between Gem and supergem territory.

This chart tracks every major certified auction result for the 1925 No Mint Mark Nickel, giving you a clear picture of where the market has historically placed this coin at each grade level.

This section reflects the trend of 1925 No Mint Mark Nickel market activity in today’s collector market.

Market activity score: 73/100 as of Oct 2026 — up 15 points from Jul 2026. 12-month peak: 81 (Sep 2026).

 

1925-D Nickel Value

Think the Denver coins are just slightly scarcer than Philly? Not quite. PCGS describes the 1925-D as “very scarce in circulated grades and rare in Mint State” — the second rarest Denver Mint Buffalo of the entire 1920s, behind only the 1927-D.

Strike quality is the big issue here. Soft buffalo horns, mushy tail detail, weak hair braids — you’ll see it on a lot of Mint State survivors. A sharply struck 1925-D commands a real premium over an average example at the same grade. Cherrypicking is essential with this date. I always tell people to look at five or six before buying one.

At MS-66, only a handful have ever been certified. The auction record sits at $57,500 for an NGC MS-66 at Heritage Auctions in August 2007. In circulated grades, expect around $30 for average pieces, climbing sharply past $100 as condition improves.

The chart below tracks certified auction results for the 1925-D nickel by grade.

See how the 1925-D nickel is trending in the current collectibles market.

Market activity score: 75/100 as of Oct 2026 — up 27 points from Jul 2026. 12-month peak: 82 (Aug 2026).

 

1925-S Nickel Value

$87,400 for a nickel. That’s what a single 1925-S in MS-66 brought at Bowers & Merena in August 2009, certified by NGC. It’s the all-time record for any 1925 Buffalo Nickel variety, and it tells you everything about how tough this coin is in high grade.

The San Francisco Mint in 1925 was fighting worn dies and rough working conditions. Most 1925-S Buffalos came out with noticeable weakness — soft horn, flat tail, mushy hair braid detail. PCGS CoinFacts confirms the 1925-S is “the third rarest Buffalo in Gem condition (non-variety), barely trailing the 1920-S and 1926-S.” Luster tends to run subdued and frosty rather than brilliant, so factor that in when you’re evaluating one.

In average circulated condition, the 1925-S starts around $15. It climbs steeply past $100 as condition improves and hits four figures for Mint State examples. We think this is one of the most underappreciated coins in the entire Buffalo series.

The chart below delivers a complete breakdown of certified auction results for the 1925-S nickel.

Discover how collectors and investors are valuing the 1925-S nickel at every certified grade level in today’s market.

Market activity score: 74/100 as of Oct 2026 — up 16 points from Jul 2026. 12-month peak: 77 (Aug 2026).

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

 

Rare 1925 Nickel Error List

Errors on 1925 Buffalos slipped through quality control more often than you’d think. Here are the confirmed, catalogued varieties and error types for this date.

1. 1925-D 2 Feathers FS-401

A normal Buffalo Nickel headdress shows three feathers — two large outer plumes and a smaller one tucked behind the chief’s neck. On the FS-401 variety, that third feather is completely gone. Die polishing wiped it out, most likely after a die clash. That’s when the obverse and reverse dies smack together with no planchet between them. Mint workers ground away the damage, and the shallow innermost feather was the first thing to go.

PCGS lists the auction record at $1,500 for an XF-40 at Heritage Auctions in April 2019. Denver’s already weak strikes make a sharp example of this variety a real find. Any premium-quality piece draws serious collector attention.

2. 1925-S 2 Feathers FS-401

Same die-polishing origin as the Denver version, but San Francisco produced this variety far more often. Of all three mints, San Francisco accounts for 11 of the 27 Two Feathers varieties recognized across the entire Buffalo series — the largest share by far. The small innermost feather just above the date gets polished completely away, leaving only the two large outer feathers.

Grab 5x to 10x magnification and focus on the area directly behind the chief’s neck. PCGS records the auction record at $4,406 for an MS-64 at Heritage Auctions in April 2014. That price reflects both the rarity of any Mint State 1925-S and the added kick of a confirmed, attributed variety.

3. 1925-S/S RPM FS-501

RPM means Repunched Mint Mark. Before automation, every branch-mint mark was hand-punched into each working die. If the first hit was off or too weak, the worker struck again — slightly offset. The result: overlapping impressions on the finished coin.

On the 1925-S/S FS-501, the “S” was punched twice in different positions below the buffalo. You’ll see a shadow, notch, or secondary impression beside the primary mark. Tilt the coin slowly under a bright lamp to spot it. This variety is catalogued in both the Cherrypickers’ Guide and the Greysheet. PCGS records the auction record at $2,350 for an AU-55 at Heritage Auctions in August 2015.

4. 1925 Buffalo Nickel Off-Center Strike

An off-center strike happens when the planchet isn’t seated properly between the dies. Part of the design strikes normally while the rest stays blank — you get a dramatic crescent-shaped void. This can happen at any mint.

Value depends on how far off-center and whether the date is still readable. A 5% off-center example runs roughly $600. A 25% off-center with a fully visible date and mint mark can hit approximately $1,000 or more. Extreme strikes above 50% that still show the complete date? Those bring the biggest premiums from error specialists.

5. 1925 Buffalo Nickel Clipped Planchet

A clipped planchet happens when the metal strip overlaps a previously punched hole during blank production. You end up with a coin missing a curved bite from its edge. All three mints produced these during the Buffalo era — production speeds made perfect quality control impossible.

A small curved clip adds several hundred dollars to the coin’s base value. Larger or multiple clips bring progressively stronger premiums. The most desirable examples show a complete, undamaged design in the remaining struck area with a smooth, curved transition at the clip. Get professional authentication through PCGS or NGC before buying any clipped planchet example.

 

Where to Sell Your 1925 Nickel?

Whether your 1925 Nickel is a circulated pocket piece or a high-grade certified example, getting it in front of the right buyer makes all the difference in what you’ll actually receive.

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

 

1925 Nickel Market Trend

Market interest: 3,260 collectors tracking this coin as of Oct 2026 — up 1,000 from Mar 2026. Currently at its 12-month peak.

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

 

FAQ about the 1925 Nickel Value

1. Which 1925 nickel is the most valuable?

The 1925-S, no contest. An NGC MS-66 sold for $87,400 at Bowers & Merena in August 2009 — the all-time record for any 1925 Buffalo Nickel. The 1925-D follows with an MS-66 auction record of $57,500 at Heritage Auctions in August 2007. Even in circulated grades, both branch-mint issues carry solid premiums over the Philadelphia coin.

2. Why are so many 1925 Buffalo Nickels weakly struck?

The high-relief design ate through dies fast. Tremendous pressure was needed to bring up all that detail, and dies wore out quickly. By 1925, the series was twelve years old and nobody had fixed the problem. San Francisco had it worst — worn dies plus tough working conditions made the 1925-S the most strike-challenged of the three. Cherrypick carefully when buying 1925-D and 1925-S examples.

3. Is a 1925 nickel with no date still worth anything?

Barely. Without a readable date, you can’t verify the year, so most dateless Buffalos trade as generic type coins for a small amount based on copper-nickel content. A legible date is the most basic thing buyers look for.

4. What does “MS” mean when describing a 1925 Nickel grade?

MS stands for Mint State — the coin never circulated and shows no wear. The scale runs from MS-60 (lowest uncirculated) to MS-70 (theoretically perfect). For 1925 Buffalos, MS-65 (Gem Uncirculated) is the key benchmark. It’s more attainable for Philadelphia coins but genuinely rare for branch-mint issues. An MS-66 or MS-67 in any variety is exceptionally scarce.

5. How do I find the mint mark on a 1925 Buffalo Nickel?

Flip it over to the bison side. Look directly below “FIVE CENTS.” A “D” means Denver, “S” means San Francisco, and no mark means Philadelphia. Use good lighting and a loupe — mint marks on heavily worn coins can be faint or partially gone.

6. What is the 1925-S Two Feathers variety, and is it rare?

Die polishing removed the third, innermost feather from the chief’s headdress, leaving only two large outer feathers. The 1925-S version is catalogued in the Cherrypickers’ Guide and is legitimately scarce. Its MS-64 auction record of $4,406 at Heritage Auctions in April 2014 shows the premium collectors pay for confirmed, attributed varieties from this already strike-challenged mint.

7. Is the 1925-D nickel a key date?

Not in the same league as the 1916 Doubled Die or 1926-S, but it’s a solid semi-key. PCGS ranks it as the second rarest Denver Mint Buffalo in Gem condition for the entire 1920s decade, behind only the 1927-D. With an original mintage of just 4,450,000 and poor survival rates, it’s genuinely tough in high circulated grades and very rare in Mint State.

8. Does the 1925 Buffalo Nickel contain silver?

No. It’s 75% copper and 25% nickel, weighing 5 grams. Every Buffalo Nickel from 1913 through 1938 used this same composition. The only nickels with silver are the War Nickels (mid-1942 through 1945), which contain 35% silver and have a large mint mark above the dome on the reverse.

9. How is the 1925 No Mint Mark nickel different from the branch-mint issues in terms of strike quality?

Philadelphia coins generally came out noticeably sharper than Denver or San Francisco pieces in 1925. PCGS CoinFacts notes the Philadelphia 1925 is less rare in Gem condition than earlier P-mint issues and far easier to find with strong strikes. Check the buffalo’s horn tip, the Indian’s hair braid detail, and the fur texturing on the bison’s shoulder — those are your strike-quality checkpoints on any Buffalo Nickel.

10. Should I clean my 1925 Buffalo Nickel before selling it?

Never. Cleaning strips away the natural patina and microscopic metal layers that graders look for. A cleaned coin gets a “details” or “cleaned” designation from PCGS or NGC, which tanks what buyers will pay. The original surface — even if it’s dark or mottled — is always worth more than a polished one to collectors.