1/4 oz Silver Buffalo Round

Recalling his aim when designing the Buffalo nickel first minted in 1913, James Earle Fraser said in 1947: "I felt I wanted to do something totally American - a coin that could not be mistaken for any other country's coin." This led him to craft two highly distinctive designs...

One, which ultimately gave the coin its colloquial name, showed an American bison. Often referred to simply as a buffalo, this bison historically roamed the North American grasslands in huge herds. Today, it is the United States' national mammal.

While that design was on the coin's reverse, the opposite side portrayed the profiled head of a Native American. The particular Indians who inspired the design have not been definitely identified, though Fraser cited Two Moons and Iron Tail as two probable models.

The Buffalo nickel was a copper-nickel five-cent coin; however, Fraser's designs have been revived for the 1/4 oz Silver Buffalo Round which, should availability permit, you can order via this website and listing. This round includes a quarter of a Troy ounce of silver with .999 purity.

As with the Buffalo nickel on which these iconic designs debuted, you can see, on the round's reverse, a stoic Native American man's head in profile, feathers protruding from his hair's back. The word 'LIBERTY' appears to the right, as it also did on the Buffalo nickel.

You can also turn over the piece to see its obverse side, on which is featured an image of an American buffalo walking the North American plains. We make no guarantee of which date will appear on the coin that you order, as that will depend on availability when we fulfill your order.

The Buffalo nickel differs from this round in its metal content, which is 75% copper and 25% nickel in the historical piece. However, it is worth further pointing out that that coin and the modern silver round on offer here also differ in the purposes for which they were originally made.

While the Buffalo nickel was primarily intended to be simply a legal tender coin, the round has not been produced with any intention for it to be used as money. Indeed, by definition, a silver round is just a circular silver piece; something of a silver bar having been made to resemble a coin.

Therefore, the value of this round, which a private refiner has custom minted, lies not in any face value, but instead the precious metal content. Collectors can appreciate the round for its aesthetic appeal, while investors may be attracted due to the favorable cost-value ratio attached to silver.

You can benefit from that mint's expertise once this round is in your hand. And, weighing a mere quarter-ounce, it won't take up a lot of space in that hand despite packing strong value.

Exact design may vary based on availability at time of your order.