1925 Nickel Value Checker: 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

The chart below shows current 1925 Buffalo Nickel values across all three mint varieties, from well-worn Good condition all the way up to Mint State.

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 1925 Nickel Worth Money

At the very top of all recorded auction results sits the 1925-S MS-66, which sold for $87,400 at Bowers & Merena in August 2009 — the single highest price ever paid for any 1925 Buffalo Nickel. That NGC-certified example remains the auction record holder, a figure that underscores just how extraordinarily rare a Gem-quality San Francisco issue truly is.

Close behind is the 1925-D MS-66, which brought $57,500 at Heritage Auctions in August 2007, also certified by NGC. Both branch-mint issues at the MS-66 level are so seldom seen that their appearances at auction become market-defining events.

The 1925 Philadelphia MS-67 reached $32,200 at Bowers & Merena in August 2006 — proof that even the most common 1925 variety becomes genuinely rare in the highest grades. At MS-65, PCGS has certified 576 Philadelphia examples with 290 finer, making true Gems available but not cheap.

The 1925-S MS-65 realized $38,400, while variety coins add another layer of value below the $10,000 mark — 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 was struck during one of the most symbolically charged moments in American history. Just one year earlier, the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924 was signed into law by President Calvin Coolidge, declaring all Native Americans born within the United States to be full citizens — the very people whose likeness appeared on the coin’s face every single day.

The Buffalo Nickel itself had been born out of a broader push to beautify American coinage. Sculptor James Earle Fraser, a student of the legendary Augustus Saint-Gaudens, was commissioned in 1911 by Taft administration officials who wanted something unmistakably American. Fraser later described the goal in a 1947 radio interview: he wanted to create a coin that could not be mistaken for any other country’s coin.

Fraser’s design was approved in 1912 but was delayed for months because of objections from the Hobbs Manufacturing Company, which made slug-detection mechanisms for nickel-operated machines and couldn’t adapt their devices to the new coin’s profile. Treasury Secretary Franklin MacVeagh ultimately overruled the objections in February 1913, and striking began.

By 1925, the series was in its thirteenth year of production, and the high-relief design had already revealed a serious engineering flaw: the date, placed in raised relief on the Indian’s shoulder, wore away with alarming speed in normal circulation. This problem was never solved during the coin’s production run, which ended in 1938 — a decision driven in part by frustration over persistent die-life and weak-strike issues that plagued all three mints throughout the series.

The 1925 issue also carries a deeper cultural resonance. The Roaring Twenties were reshaping American society at full speed, yet the coin in every American’s pocket pointed toward a world already disappearing — the same Native American communities who had only just been granted citizenship were simultaneously being pressed to abandon their traditions. The coin circulated through that tension quietly, a daily artifact of American contradiction.

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

 

Is Your 1925 Nickel Rare?

Not every 1925 Nickel is created equal — mint mark, condition, and strike quality all play a role in determining just how rare your coin actually is.

PCGS CoinFacts describes the 1925 Philadelphia issue as “semi-common in circulated grades and somewhat scarce in Mint State.” The 1925-D is rated “very scarce in circulated grades and rare in Mint State,” while the 1925-S is described as “the third rarest Buffalo in Gem condition (non-variety)” — trailing only the 1920-S and 1926-S at the MS-65 level and above.

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

The 1925 Buffalo Nickel is one of the most distinctly American coins ever produced. Every detail, front and back, was deliberately designed to reflect the nation’s identity and its vanishing frontier.

The Obverse of the 1925 Nickel

The obverse features a Native American facing right, thought to be a composite portrait drawn from three real figures: Chief Iron Tail of the Sioux, Chief Two Moons of the Cheyenne, and Chief Big Tree of the Kiowa. Fraser sketched each of these chiefs in person, making this one of the first U.S. coins to depict real, named individuals rather than an allegorical figure.

The inscription “LIBERTY” curves along the top right side of the coin, while the date appears on the man’s shoulder. Note that Fraser’s identity stories changed somewhat over the forty years following the design, leading to some scholarly uncertainty about which chiefs were used — but the composite nature of the portrait is well established. On well-preserved examples, fine details such as braided hair, feathers, and defined cheekbones remain crisp and highly expressive.

The Reverse of the 1925 Nickel

The reverse features a highly detailed bison standing on flat ground, modeled after Black Diamond — an actual American bison housed at the New York Zoological Gardens (now the Bronx Zoo). The flat ground line replaced the original mound design introduced in 1913’s Type I coin, a practical fix to prevent the denomination “FIVE CENTS” from wearing away too quickly in circulation.

“UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” runs along the top rim, with the motto “E PLURIBUS UNUM” inscribed above the bison’s back half. The reverse’s high relief made it inherently prone to weak strikes, a challenge that affected all three mints throughout the series’ entire run.

Other Features of the 1925 Nickel

The 1925 Buffalo Nickel has a plain (smooth) edge with no reeding, and weighs 5 grams with a diameter of 21.2 mm. Its composition is 75% copper and 25% nickel — not a silver coin, despite frequent questions from new collectors.

The mint mark, where present, appears on the reverse below the buffalo, with “D” for Denver and “S” for San Francisco. Philadelphia-struck coins carry no mint mark at all, which is how the U.S. Mint handled Philadelphia issues throughout this era.

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

 

1925 Nickel Mintage & Survival Data

Philadelphia produced the 1925 nickel in far greater quantities than Denver or San Francisco, and that gap was enormous. Yet high original mintage did not translate into high survival — only a tiny fraction of those coins made it to collectors in gradable condition.

The 1925-D had the smallest original mintage of the three at just 4,450,000 pieces, making it the scarcest at the time of issue. The 1925-S came in at 6,256,000, while Philadelphia’s total reached 35,565,100. Across the entire series, those Philadelphia numbers were only moderate — the peak years of 1916 through 1920 produced 60 to 70 million pieces annually.

What the survival rate reveals is more nuanced than the mintage numbers alone suggest. The 1925-D, despite being the scarcest issue at the time of striking, carries the highest survival rate at 0.1573%, meaning it held up proportionally better over the past century than either of the other two varieties. The No Mint Mark coin tells the opposite story: with over 35 million struck, just an estimated 11,000 examples survive today, giving it the lowest survival rate of all three at only 0.0309%.

Heavy circulation during the Roaring Twenties — and the fact that the Buffalo Nickel’s raised date wore off faster than almost any other U.S. coin design — took a serious toll on everyday pocket change. 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

The 1925 Buffalo Nickel was struck at all three U.S. Mint facilities, and each issue carries a distinct level of scarcity and collector demand. Understanding which variety you hold is the essential first step toward an accurate valuation.

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

 

1925 No Mint Mark Nickel Value

The 1925 No Mint Mark Buffalo Nickel is the Philadelphia issue and the most accessible entry point in the 1925 series. Philadelphia coins generally show stronger strike quality than branch-mint counterparts — sharper buffalo horn, cleaner hair braids, and more defined facial details are more attainable here than on Denver or San Francisco examples.

PCGS CoinFacts describes the 1925 Philadelphia as “semi-common in circulated grades and somewhat scarce in Mint State.” In Gem condition (MS-65), PCGS has certified 576 examples with 290 finer, making true Gems available but never cheap. That population data comes directly from PCGS’s grading records, giving you a real-world snapshot of surviving supply.

At the very top of the grading scale, a PCGS MS-67 Philadelphia example sold for $32,200 at Bowers & Merena in August 2006 — the auction record for this variety. An MS-65 PCGS-graded example carried a Numismedia wholesale price of around $350 at the time of its auction record listing, reflecting the meaningful value gap between Gem and supergem grades.

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.

 

1925-D Nickel Value

The 1925-D Buffalo Nickel holds a distinct position within Denver Mint output for the entire Buffalo Nickel series. PCGS describes it as “very scarce in circulated grades and rare in Mint State” — the second rarest Denver Mint Buffalo of the 1920s, trailing only the 1927-D.

Strike quality is a defining issue with this coin. Well-struck examples do exist, but softness on the buffalo’s horn and tail, and on the Indian’s hair braid detail, appears on a significant number of Mint State survivors. A sharply struck 1925-D commands a meaningful premium over an average example at the exact same grade level, making careful cherry-picking (closely inspecting multiple specimens before buying) essential for this date.

At the MS-66 level, only a handful of specimens have been certified in total — and PCGS records show only a single example ever reached MS-67. The auction record of $57,500 was achieved by an NGC MS-66 at Heritage Auctions in August 2007, confirming that high-grade survivors are genuine market rarities. In circulated grades, the 1925-D starts around $30 in average circulated condition and climbs sharply above $100 for finer examples.

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.

 

1925-S Nickel Value

The 1925-S stands apart from its Philadelphia and Denver counterparts in one defining way: strike quality. The San Francisco Mint in 1925 faced compounding operational challenges — heavily worn dies and substandard working conditions — that resulted in most 1925-S Buffalo Nickels being struck with noticeable weakness. The buffalo’s horn and tail, and the Indian’s hair braid detail, are frequently soft or flat on surviving Mint State examples.

PCGS CoinFacts confirms the 1925-S is “the third rarest Buffalo in Gem condition (non-variety), barely trailing the 1920-S and 1926-S.” That ranking places it among the most challenging dates in the entire Buffalo Nickel series to find in true Gem condition. Luster tends to be of the subdued, frosty type rather than brilliant — which collectors should factor into their evaluation of any 1925-S they inspect.

At the highest certified grade of MS-66, an example realized $87,400 at Bowers & Merena in August 2009 — the single highest auction result recorded for any 1925 Buffalo Nickel variety, certified by NGC. The 1925-S in average circulated condition starts around $15, climbing steeply above $100 as condition improves, and into four figures for Mint State examples.

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.

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

 

Rare 1925 Nickel Error List

The 1925 Buffalo Nickel wasn’t just hard to find in great condition — it was also struck during an era when minting errors slipped through quality control far more often than collectors once realized. Below are the confirmed, catalogued varieties and error types for this date.

1. 1925-D 2 Feathers FS-401

On a standard Buffalo Nickel, the headdress shows three feathers — two large outer plumes and a smaller innermost feather tucked behind the chief’s neck. On the FS-401 (Fivaz-Stanton 401) variety, that third feather has completely vanished due to overzealous die polishing, most likely triggered by a die clash. A die clash happens when the obverse and reverse dies strike each other without a planchet between them, leaving damage that mint workers then grind away — and the shallow innermost feather was the first casualty.

PCGS lists the auction record for the 1925-D FS-401 at $1,500 for an XF-40 example sold at Heritage Auctions in April 2019. Denver’s already weak strike quality makes a sharp example of this variety extremely hard to find, so any premium-quality piece commands significant collector interest.

2. 1925-S 2 Feathers FS-401

The 1925-S FS-401 shares the same die-polishing origin as the Denver version — but the San Francisco Mint produced this variety far more often. Of all three mints, San Francisco accounts for 11 of the 27 Two Feathers varieties currently recognized across the entire Buffalo Nickel series, the largest share by far. The small innermost feather just above the date is polished entirely away, leaving only the two large outer feathers visible.

Use 5x to 10x magnification and focus on the area directly behind the chief’s neck to identify this variety. PCGS records the auction record for the 1925-S FS-401 at $4,406 for an MS-64 example at Heritage Auctions in April 2014 — a figure reflecting both the rarity of any Mint State 1925-S and the added premium of a confirmed, attributed variety.

3. 1925-S/S RPM FS-501

RPM stands for Repunched Mint Mark — an error that occurred when a mint worker punched the mint mark into a working die twice in slightly different positions. Before modern automation, every branch-mint mark was punched into each working die by hand, one strike at a time. If the first impression was misaligned or weak, the punch would be struck again, creating overlapping impressions visible on the finished coin.

On the 1925-S/S FS-501, the “S” was punched twice in offset positions below the buffalo, creating a shadow, notch, or secondary impression beside the primary mark. Tilt the coin slowly under a bright lamp to make the doubling visible. This variety is formally catalogued in both the Cherrypickers’ Guide and the Greysheet, with PCGS recording the auction record at $2,350 for an AU-55 example at Heritage Auctions in August 2015.

4. 1925 Buffalo Nickel Off-Center Strike

An off-center strike occurs when the blank coin planchet is not properly centered between the dies at the moment of striking. Part of the design transfers normally while the rest of the planchet surface remains blank, creating a dramatic crescent-shaped void. This type of error can happen on coins from any mint.

The value of an off-center 1925 Buffalo Nickel depends heavily on how much of the design is displaced and whether the date remains legible. A 5% off-center example is worth roughly $600, while a 25% off-center strike with a fully visible date and mint mark can reach approximately $1,000 or more. Extreme off-center strikes above 50% that still show the complete date command the highest premiums from error specialists.

5. 1925 Buffalo Nickel Clipped Planchet

A clipped planchet error happens when the metal blank strip used to punch out coin blanks overlaps with a previously punched hole, resulting in a coin with a curved section of metal missing from its edge. This type of error occurred at all three mints during the Buffalo Nickel era, when production speeds made quality control inconsistent.

A small curved clip on a 1925 Buffalo Nickel adds several hundred dollars to the coin’s base value, with larger or multiple clips commanding progressively stronger premiums. The most desirable clipped planchet errors show a complete, undamaged design in the remaining struck area — with a smooth, curved transition between struck and unstrück zones. Professional authentication through PCGS or NGC (Numismatic Guaranty Company) is strongly recommended before purchasing 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 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 is the standout issue of the three 1925 varieties. At MS-66, a NGC-certified 1925-S sold for $87,400 at Bowers & Merena in August 2009 — the highest auction result ever recorded for any 1925 Buffalo Nickel. The 1925-D follows closely, with its own MS-66 auction record of $57,500 at Heritage Auctions in August 2007. Even in circulated grades, both branch-mint issues carry meaningful premiums over the Philadelphia coin.

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

Buffalo Nickels were inherently prone to weak strikes because of their high-relief design — the deeply sculpted surfaces required tremendous die pressure that wore out dies quickly. By 1925, the series was twelve years old and the problem had never been solved. The San Francisco Mint faced the additional burden of worn-out dies and difficult working conditions, making the 1925-S the most strike-challenged of the three. Collectors are advised to cherry-pick carefully when purchasing 1925-D and 1925-S examples.

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

A Buffalo Nickel with a worn-off date is unfortunately worth very little in the collector market, since the date cannot be verified. Most dateless examples trade as type coins for a modest amount based on their copper-nickel metal content alone. A fully legible date is one of the most basic requirements buyers look for, and the absence of it removes most of the coin’s numismatic premium.

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

MS stands for Mint State, meaning the coin never entered circulation and shows no wear on its surfaces. Coins are graded on a numerical scale from MS-60 (the lowest Mint State) up to MS-70 (theoretically perfect). For 1925 Buffalo Nickels, MS-65 (Gem Uncirculated) is a meaningful benchmark — rarer for branch-mint issues, more attainable for Philadelphia. An MS-66 or MS-67 example is exceptionally rare for any 1925 variety.

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

Flip the coin over and look on the reverse (bison side) directly below the words “FIVE CENTS.” A “D” means it was struck in Denver, an “S” means San Francisco, and no mark at all means it came from Philadelphia. Good lighting and a magnifying loupe help, since mint marks on heavily worn coins can be faint or partially obscured.

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

The Two Feathers (FS-401) variety is a coin where die polishing removed the third, innermost feather from the chief’s headdress, leaving only two large outer feathers visible. The 1925-S version is formally catalogued in the Cherrypickers’ Guide and is legitimately scarce — its MS-64 auction record of $4,406 at Heritage Auctions in April 2014 reflects the premium collectors place on confirmed, attributed varieties from this already strike-challenged mint.

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

The 1925-D is not a key date in the same category as the 1916 Doubled Die or the 1926-S, but it is a semi-key date and one of the more challenging Denver Mint issues of the 1920s. PCGS ranks it as the second rarest Denver Mint Buffalo in Gem condition for the entire decade of the 1920s, trailing only the 1927-D. Its low original mintage of 4,450,000 and poor survival rate make it genuinely difficult to find in high circulated grades and very rare in Mint State.

8. Does the 1925 Buffalo Nickel contain silver?

No — the 1925 Buffalo Nickel contains no silver at all. It is composed of 75% copper and 25% nickel, with a total weight of 5 grams. This composition was used for all Buffalo Nickels from 1913 through 1938. The only nickels that contain silver are the War Nickels struck from mid-1942 through 1945, which used a 35% silver alloy and are identifiable by 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-struck coins generally show noticeably stronger strike quality than the Denver or San Francisco issues of 1925. PCGS CoinFacts notes that the Philadelphia 1925 is less rare in Gem condition than earlier P-mint issues, and far more attainable in sharp strikes than either the 1925-D or 1925-S. Look for full definition on the buffalo’s horn tip, the Indian’s hair braid detail, and the fur texturing on the bison’s shoulder — these are the key strike-quality checkpoints for any Buffalo Nickel.

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

Never clean a 1925 Buffalo Nickel — or any collectible coin. Cleaning removes the natural surface patina and microscopic metal layers that professional graders look for, permanently reducing the coin’s grade and market value. A cleaned coin will receive a “details” or “cleaned” designation from PCGS or NGC, which significantly lowers what buyers will pay. The original, unaltered surface — even if dark or mottled — is always preferable to a polished one for collector purposes.