1935 Buffalo Nickel Value:No Mint Mark, D, S and Doubled Dies

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Basics & coin story

Fraser’s Native American portrait and American bison reverse were already familiar by 1935. The denomination remained on the recessed ground introduced during the first year of the series, while the raised date on the portrait’s shoulder remained vulnerable to wear. That placement explains why a coin can still show a recognizable bison yet have an unreadable year.

PCGS records 58,264,000 Philadelphia regular strikes. It was a substantial issue, and NGC describes many surviving Mint State coins while emphasizing incomplete central striking on numerous examples. The useful collecting question is therefore not just how many were minted, but how much detail and original surface a particular coin retains. The Buffalo nickel series guide explains the wider date-and-mint framework.

Identification

Read the date without restoring it

Find all four digits on the shoulder below the portrait. The small F beneath the date is the initial of designer James Earle Fraser. It does not stand for a mint and does not create a special F-mint issue. If the year is ambiguous, record it as uncertain rather than assigning a 1935 price.

Acid date restoration changes the surface. A chemically recovered digit does not make the coin a normal problem-free specimen for a grade-based retail table. Do not scratch or treat a coin simply to force a readable date.

Check below FIVE CENTS for D or S

The mint letter is on the reverse below the denomination. A blank position is normal for Philadelphia. D identifies Denver and S identifies San Francisco; neither is on the portrait side. Use a close photograph and changing light to read a weak letter, keeping scratches and dark spots separate from the actual raised mark.

A Denver coin deserves its own comparison as condition improves. Do not multiply every coin’s price just because a mint had lower production: the guide’s ordinary Good and Fine levels overlap, whereas the better grades diverge.

Doubled die reverse is an attribution, not a blurred image

PCGS separately catalogs the 1935 Philadelphia doubled-die reverse, including FS-801. Look for matching doubling at the documented reverse lettering and other die markers, not a single uncertain outline caused by motion, glare or damage. A shelf-like displaced edge alone is not enough to name the variety.

The ordinary photographs here establish the date, normal reverse and mint-mark position. They are not labeled as the FS-801 specimen. Likewise, the famous 1937-D Three-Legged and 1936-D 3½ Legs varieties should not be transferred to a 1935 coin with a worn or damaged leg.

Condition & value

Amounts are in U.S. dollars. The table reports published ordinary-strike guide references, not completed sales or guaranteed offers. The final column is the source row’s own update date (month/day/year); all rows were accessed November 13, 2026. Older guide dates are a limitation, so obtain recent matching sales or offers before a transaction.

MS means Mint State. Proofs and attributed die varieties are excluded.

Why a weakly detailed coin is not automatically circulated

On a Buffalo nickel, the portrait’s central hair and the bison’s head and shoulder can be soft because the dies did not fill completely. Circulation creates rubbing as well as lost detail. Examine luster continuity, high-point wear and the fields together; do not assign MS65 merely because the date looks sharp.

NGC’s separate mint analyses make strike quality particularly relevant to 1935-D and 1935-S. The value table does not promise that every coin at a named numerical grade will be equally attractive. Two equally graded pieces can differ in strike, toning and marks.

Compare ordinary coins before using a variety result

The table’s ordinary MS63 references are $45 for Philadelphia, $85 for Denver and $70 for San Francisco. These grade-specific guide figures belong to the same dated NGC ordinary entries; they exclude authenticated doubled dies and other attributed varieties. Paid grading and selling costs can consume much of a modest premium.

A dealer’s price tag, an unsold internet listing and a recorded auction result answer different questions. For an offer, assemble recent completed comparisons with the same mint, grade and surface condition. The grading-scale guide and cleaning-identification guide help screen coins before a specialist examines a promising variety.

For an initial identification, photograph both faces in even light and record the visible date and mint mark. HeriBase can help organize a photo-based identification; verify important mint, finish and variety details against the references before using a price. An app result is a starting point, not a certified grade, authentication or purchase offer.

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