The 2005 Nickel: How to Find Mistakes and Get a High Price

The 2005 Buffalo Nickel value is special because it is not the common “Jefferson Nickel,” which has been made since 1938, and this coin was part of a two-year plan to celebrate the 200th birthday of the Lewis and Clark trip (1804–1806), which is why the coin’s look changed a lot on both the front and the back sides.

Front Side

A new picture of the third U.S. President Thomas Jefferson, was put on the coin, the first time since 1938 that the look changed, and before, his picture looked to the right, but now the artist made Jefferson look straight ahead — “Jefferson Looking Forward”. 

• The word “LIBERTY” looks like Jefferson's own handwriting

• The words “IN GOD WE TRUST” and the year “2005” are also placed on the coin.

Back Side

The 2005 coin had two different designs for the back, and the “American Bison” was the first one that was made at the start of the year.

This back side shows a large American bison that stands on a hill and looks to the left, and people often call this coin the “Buffalo Nickel”, because it looks like the old “Buffalo” coin (1913–1938).

Mints and Numbers

• 2005-P (Philadelphia): About 448,320,000

• 2005-D (Denver): About 487,680,000 

• 2005-S (San Francisco): N/A.

Coin Facts

• Metal: 75% Copper and 25% Nickel

• Weight: 5.00 g

• Size: 21.2 mm

Regular Coins

Circulated

The coins that are used often, which are the 2005-P and 2005-D Used coins, only cost their normal value of $0.05, but they might be worth $0.10 to $0.50.

Uncirculated - BU

• Not perfect MS grades (MS-63, MS-64): $1 to $4

• Good MS grades (MS-65, MS-66): $4 to $45

• Perfect MS grades (MS-67 and more): over $100

Special Collector Coins (Proof 2005-S)

These special coins were made at the San Francisco mint (S) only for collector boxes, so they usually cost $10 to $25, especially if it has Deep Cameo - DCAM.

Big Mistakes and Rare Types : The Source of High Value

The really high money value of the 2005 “American Bison” coin is found in the mistakes that happened when the coin was pressed, since a mistake can quickly change the value from $0.05 to thousands of dollars.

The “Speared Bison” Mistake

This is the most famous and most wanted mistake on the 2005 “American Bison” nickel, and it is a clear, long line on the back side that looks exactly like a spear going into the bison’s back.

This line is not a crack in the metal tool, but a deep scratch happened because something hit the tool hard when the coin was being made.

The “Speared Bison” mistake was found on both 2005-D Denver and 2005-P Philadelphia coins, though the 2005-D type cost more.

Because this mistake can be valuable, you must send the coin to a professional company (PCGS, NGC, ANACS) to check its quality before you decide to sell it.

Doubled Die - DDO/DDR

• For DDO, the “2005” date, the words “IN GOD WE TRUST” or “LIBERTY” look double, and parts of Jefferson’s picture like the eyes can also look double.

• For DDR is not common on the “Bison” coin, but it can happen on the bison's body or the words around it.

These DDO/DDR coins can cost from $40 to $200+ when they are not checked by a company, and they can be worth even more money if the double image is clear.

Other Important Mistakes in 2005

• Big Pieces Missing Cuds: These are large pieces of metal broken off the edge, and the price is usually $50 – $200+.

• Die Cracks: The lines going across the coin, and the value depends on how long and clear the crack is.

• Off-Center Strike: The coin was not in the right place when the tool hit it, and while the most valuable coins are 50% or more off-center, even small mistakes can cost $50 – $150.

Quality Check and Market Trends

The high value of a modern coin that has a mistake is only true if its grade is checked and confirmed.

Importance of Checking

The checking companies (PCGS, NGC, ANACS) give the coin a number from 1 to 70.

• MS-65: This is a new coin with only very small marks, and it has a great shine and looks nice.

• MS-67: This is a very high-quality coin that looks almost perfect, has almost no marks, a great shine, and looks very special.

The money market changes very fast between MS-65 and MS-67; for example, a 2005-D Speared Bison in MS-65 might be worth $300, but the same coin in MS-66 could be worth $1,200 or more.

Market Changes

• Less Mistakes in Good Shape: There are less mistakes in good shape because people found the “Speared Bison” mistake and took those coins out of use very quickly, so there are not many perfect coins with this mistake.

• Two Types of Demand: There are two types of demand because two groups of people want this coin: one group wants the Error Coins like the “Speared Bison,” where the mistake is more important than small marks, and the other group wants Perfect Condition, where they want a perfect coin with no mistakes like MS-67, and the price for these coins is always going up.

• Changing Prices: The price for the 2005 Speared Bison was highest right after it was found, and the price today may be lower than the record prices from 2010–2020, but it is still one of the most valuable modern U.S. coins.

How to Sell Your 2005 Nickel 

Do Not Clean Your Coin

• If you clean the coin, it will get small scratches

• Cleaning will make the coin value go down

• Keep the coin safe in a small plastic bag or paper holder

Get the Valuable Coin Checked by a Company

• Why to Check: The company gives the coin a grade, and this check proves the coin is real 

• The Companies: The best companies are PCGS and NGC

• Only for Expensive Coins: Only pay for this check if you think the coin is worth more than $100

Where to Sell Your Coin

Coin Shops

• What it is: A local shop that buys and sells old money

• Good for: Selling quickly for a good, but sometimes lower, price

Online Auction Sites

• What it is: Websites where people bid for your coin

• Good for: Getting the highest price for very rare and checked coins like the "Speared Bison" mistake

Collector Websites

• What it is: Special online places where only coin collectors look for coins

• Good for: Selling coins that are clean and have a high grade like MS-67.