2005 Buffalo Nickel Coin Value (Errors List, “D”, “S” & “P” Mint Mark Worth)

The Westward Journey nickels were a commemorative series of coins honoring the 200th anniversary of Lewis and Clark’s first expedition after the Louisiana Purchase. It includes nickels from 2005 minted in two variations, one with the Ocean in view, while the other depicts the American bison on the reverse.

The Jefferson buffalo nickel design is related to the Indian Head nickel look from 1913 to 1938. Both coins have an American bison as a motif on the reverse. The 2005 Buffalo nickel value is affected by its historical significance besides each piece’s preservation levels and possible errors.

 

2005 Jefferson Buffalo nickel value
Condition	2005 P nickel	2005 D nickel	2005 S proof nickel
MS 63	$5	$4	/
MS 65	$25	$15	/
PR 70	/	/	$30

History of the 2005 Jefferson Buffalo Nickel

The original Buffalo nickel (also called the Indian Head nickel) debuted in 1913. James Fraser designed it with a Native American portrait on the obverse and an American buffalo on the reverse.

The series ran for 25 years and became a collector favorite almost immediately. It still is today.

2005 Jefferson Buffalo nickel Types
Location	Year	Minted
Philadelphia	2005 P nickel	448,320,000
Denver	2005 D nickel	487,680,000
San Francisco	2005 S proof nickel	3,344,679
Total	/	939,344,679

That classic design got a revival in 2005. The US Mint struck commemorative Westward Journey nickels honoring the 200th anniversary of the Lewis and Clark expedition.

The Jefferson buffalo nickel from this series is a unique collectible with real historical weight. Unlike the original Indian Head pieces, this version puts President Thomas Jefferson’s portrait on the obverse and features two different reverse designs.

Jamie Franki brought back the legendary bison motif from the 1913 nickel. Artist Joe Fitzgerald created a second version showing an ocean scene tied to the Lewis and Clark expedition.

Those two designs beat out 144 other proposals. They only lasted one year before the Mint went back to the Monticello reverse. That short run is exactly why the 2005 Buffalo nickel stays on collectors’ radar.

Also read: Top 10 Most Valuable Nickels Worth Money

Features of the 2005 Jefferson Buffalo Nickel

The bison motif on the 2005 version is nearly identical to the one Fraser used back in 1913. That’s what makes this coin stand out — it’s a modern tribute that kept the classic look almost untouched.

The obverse of the 2005 Jefferson Buffalo nickel

The 2005 Buffalo nickel has the left half of the obverse covered by Jefferson’s image, with his profile facing right and his nose tip sitting right at the coin’s center. Joe Fitzgerald chose to show the 3rd President from an unusual, close-up angle.

Along the right rim you’ll see IN GOD WE TRUST. LIBERTY appears at Jefferson’s chin level, written in his own handwriting. That cursive style is a nice touch — the Mint almost never does that. Look in the lower right corner for the mint mark and date.

The reverse of the 2005 Jefferson Buffalo nickel

Flip it over and you’ll see Jamie Franki’s take on the classic 1913 bison. The buffalo stands centered, facing right.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA runs along the top rim above the buffalo’s back. FIVE CENTS sits along the bottom rim. Those two inscriptions nearly form a complete circle around the animal. Just above the denomination, E PLURIBUS UNUM is struck across three lines.

2005 Jefferson Buffalo nickel Details
Face value	Five cents ($0.05)
Coin diameter	0.835 inches (21.2 mm)
Shape	Round
Compound	Copper (75%) with 25% nickel
Coin weight	0.1764 ounces (5 g)
Edge	Plain
Coin thickness	0.0768 inches (1.95 mm)

Other features of the 2005 Jefferson Buffalo nickel

The Buffalo nickel from 2005 is a five-cent coin. It’s round with a plain edge and made of 75% copper and 25% nickel. It weighs 0.1764 ounces (5 g), measures 0.0768 inches (1.95 mm) thick, and has a diameter of 0.835 inches (21.2 mm).

Also read: Top 17 Most Valuable Buffalo Nickel Worth Money

2005 Jefferson Buffalo Nickel Grading

Grading determines what your coin is worth on the open market. The standard is the Sheldon scale, running from 1 (barely identifiable) to 70 (perfect).

Graders look at strike quality, remaining luster, and any damage like bag marks or scratches.

#	Grade
1	Basal State-1
2	Fair
3	Very Fair
4, 5, 6	Good
7, 8, 10	Very Good
12, 15	Fine
20, 30	Very Fine
40	Extremely Fine
50	About Uncirculated
60	Mint State
65	Mint State
70	Mint State

Please check our grading guides to know your coin scale, It’s the necessary step to know the exact value of your coin.

Check out now: How to Grade Buffalo Nickel?

2005 Jefferson Buffalo Nickel Value Guides

Nearly a billion of these were struck across three mints. Most are worth face value. The money is in top-grade survivors and error coins.

2005 P Jefferson Buffalo nickel value

Here’s a question you might ask: with 448,320,000 struck, can a Philly Buffalo nickel actually be worth anything? It can — but only in high grades. All of them carry the letter P as the mint mark.

Circulated examples trade at face value. Even low mint state coins (MS 60 through MS 62) only run about $0.50. The jump happens once you get above MS 63:

• MS 63 regular strike nickels – $5
• MS 64 regular strike nickels – $12
• MS 65 regular strike nickels – $25
• MS 66 regular strike nickels – $45
• MS 67 regular strike nickels – $1,150

Philadelphia also produced satin finish special strikes. Raw examples in average shape are cheap, but higher-grade pieces with that distinctive satin look carry a premium:

• $2 for SP 60 satin finish nickels
• $3 for SP 61 satin finish nickels
• $4 for SP 62 satin finish nickels
• $4 for SP 63 satin finish nickels
• $5 for SP 64 satin finish nickels
• $6 for SP 65 satin finish nickels
• $7 for SP 66 satin finish nickels
• $10 for SP 67 satin finish nickels

2005 D Jefferson Buffalo nickel value

Denver won the production race in 2005, cranking out 487,680,000 Buffalo nickels — the highest of any mint that year. Look for the D on the obverse.

Most circulated D-mint pieces are worth a dime at best. MS 60 through MS 62 coins go for about $0.10. Prices climb from there:

• $4 for MS 63 regular strike nickels
• $8 for MS 64 regular strike nickels
• $15 for MS 65 regular strike nickels
• $45 for MS 66 regular strike nickels

Denver satin finish coins follow a similar pattern. Low grades sit near face value, but top-graded pieces are worth cherrypicking:

• SP 60 satin finish nickels cost $2
• SP 61 satin finish nickels cost $3
• SP 62 satin finish nickels cost $4
• SP 63 satin finish nickels cost $5
• SP 64 satin finish nickels cost $7
• SP 65 satin finish nickels cost $8
• SP 66 satin finish nickels cost $12
• SP 67 satin finish nickels cost $20

At auction, the right Denver nickel can bring several hundred dollars.

2005 S proof Jefferson Buffalo nickel value

Don’t assume “proof” means expensive. San Francisco struck 3,344,679 proof Buffalo nickels in 2005, all marked with an S. None entered circulation — these were made strictly for collectors.

Even so, most are affordable. You’re looking at $0.50 to $30 depending on grade. The real price separation happens at the top of the scale:

• The 2005 S PR 67 DCAM nickel is worth $1
• The 2005 S PR 68 DCAM nickel is worth $2
• The 2005 S PR 69 DCAM nickel is worth $14
• The 2005 S PR 70 DCAM nickel is worth $30

Also read: Top 17 Most Valuable Jefferson Nickels Worth Money

Rare 2005 Jefferson Buffalo Nickel Error List

Errors happen even on modern coins. The 2005 Buffalo nickel has a few that are genuinely fun to hunt for, plus some standard minting mistakes worth knowing about.

Speared bison

This is the one everybody wants. A die gouge created a long line that looks like a spear piercing straight through the bison’s back. It only shows up on 2005 D nickels, and the severity varies from coin to coin.

Well-preserved examples of the 2005 nickel error run $30 to $60. Mint state pieces jump to $75 to $700. The auction record sits at $2,650 for the 2005 D MS 66 Speared Jefferson buffalo nickel. I think this is one of the best cherrypicking opportunities in the modern nickel series.

Clipped planchet

This happens when the blanking press strikes a strip of metal that hasn’t fully advanced. The result is a planchet with a crescent-shaped chunk missing, and the finished coin shows a gap in the design. Some collectors build entire sets of nothing but clipped coins.

Improperly annealed

Nobody knows the exact cause for sure. The best guess is the planchet got struck too long or was heated to extreme temperatures during preparation.

You’ll see copper from the core bleeding through to the surface, overtaking the nickel cladding. It gives the coin a streaky, discolored look. One of these typically sells for around $100.

Copper wash

Similar to the improperly annealed error, but here the entire surface gets a thin copper coating. The whole coin takes on a coppery tone instead of just showing streaks.

Detached leg

Look closely at the buffalo’s front leg. On some 2005 nickels, a worn die left a visible gap between the leg and the body. It looks like the leg is floating free. We think it’s an underrated variety that more people should be checking for.

Also read: 14 Most Valuable Nickel Errors Worth Money

Where to Sell Your 2005 Jefferson Buffalo Nickel?

Now that you know the value of your coins, do you know where to sell those coins online easily? Don’t worry, I’ve compiled a list of these sites, including their introduction, pros, and cons. 

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

FAQ about the 2005 Jefferson Buffalo Nickel Value

What makes a 2005 Jefferson Buffalo nickel scarce?

It’s a one-year-only design, which always gets collectors interested. The bison reverse is a callback that people love. But with nearly a billion struck, these aren’t hard to find — the scarce ones are top-pop slabbed examples and error coins.

Which 2005 Jefferson Buffalo nickels are particularly expensive?

• The 2005 D MS 66 Speared Buffalo nickel sold at $2,650 in 2021
• The 2005 P PCGS Genuine Buffalo nickel sold at $1,225 in 2022
• The 2005 D MS 66 Buffalo nickel sold at $750 in 2014
• The 2005 D SP 69 Satin Buffalo nickel sold at $588 in 2016
• The 2005 S PR 70 DCAM Buffalo nickel sold at $546 in 2005
• The 2005 P SP 69 Satin Buffalo nickel sold at $184 in 2008
• The 2005 S PR 70 Buffalo nickel sold at $28 in 2023

How expensive is the 2005 P Jefferson Buffalo nickel?

Not very, unless you find a gem. With almost 450 million struck, circulated pieces are worth five cents. Mint state coins range from $0.08 to $1,000 depending on grade.

What are the most pricey Jefferson Buffalo nickels?

The original Buffalo nickel series produced some serious money coins. The king is the 1918/7 D MS 65 Buffalo nickel, which hit $350,750 in 2006.

For the modern Jefferson buffalo series, the top coin is the 2005 D MS 67 Speared Bison. Professional estimates put it at $5,000 per piece.