Buffalo or Indian Head .281913.E2.80.931938.29 Nickel (United States coin)

president theodore roosevelt in 1904 expressed dissatisfaction artistic state of american coins, , hoped hire sculptor augustus saint-gaudens beautify them. saint-gaudens, before death in 1907, designed new eagle , double eagle, entered circulation year; cent, quarter eagle, , half eagle redesigned other artists , released circulation 1909. year, mint director frank leach instructed barber make pattern coins new nickels. of these coins featured first president, george washington. however, project discontinued when leach left office on november 1, 1909, replaced abram andrew.

on may 4, 1911, eames macveagh, son of treasury secretary franklin macveagh wrote father:

a little matter seems have been overlooked of opportunity beautify design of nickel or 5 cent piece during administration, , seems me permanent souvenir of attractive sort. possibly aware, coin design of can change during administration, believe there law effect designs must not changed oftener every twenty-five years. should think might coin of greatest numbers in circulation.

soon after macveagh letter, andrew announced mint solicit new designs nickel. sculptor james earle fraser, had been assistant saint-gaudens, approached mint, , rapidly produced concepts , designs. mint director george roberts, had returned office in place of andrew, favored design featuring lincoln, fraser developed design featuring native american on 1 side , bison on other. secretary macveagh wrote, tell him of 3 sketches submitted use sketch of head of indian , sketch of buffalo. in july 1912, news of new nickel became public, , coin-operated machine manufacturers sought information. clarence hobbs of hobbs manufacturing company, maker of counterfeit detectors, feared new nickel not passed devices. hobbs demanded various changes design, artist reluctant agree.

the hobbs company continued interpose objections in 1913. on february 3, hobbs sent roberts lengthy list of changes wanted in coin, , sculptor required attend conference hobbs representatives. on fifth, following conference, ended no agreement, fraser sent macveagh ten-page letter, complaining time being wasted hobbs company, , appealing secretary bring situation close. secretary macveagh agreed hold meeting @ office in washington on february 14. barber prepared patterns showing nickel if changes demanded hobbs made. macveagh conducted meeting legal hearing, , issued letter following day. secretary noted no other firm had complained, hobbs mechanism had not been sold, , changes demanded—a clear space around rim , flattening of indian s cheekbone—would affect artistic merit of piece. macveagh concluded, please, therefore, proceed coinage of new nickel.

the coins officially released circulation on march 4, 1913, , gained positive comments depicting american themes. however, new york times stated in editorial new nickel striking example of coin intended wide circulation should not be ...[it] not pleasing @ when new , shiny, , abomination when old , dull. numismatist, in march , may 1913 editorials, gave new coin lukewarm review, suggesting indian s head reduced in size , bison eliminated reverse.

dies new design proved break quickly. barber made proposed revisions, fraser approved after being sent samples. these changes enlarged legend 5 cents , changed ground on bison stands hill flat ground. according data compiled numismatic historian david lange national archives, changes known type ii nickels (with originals type i) decreased die life. problem not addressed exposure of date wear; many buffalo nickels today have date worn away.

in january 1938, mint announced open competition new nickel design, feature president thomas jefferson on obverse, , jefferson s home, monticello on reverse. last buffalo nickels struck in april 1938 @ denver mint, mint strike them year.

design , name controversies

chief iron tail, circa 1912

the identities of models native american on obverse , bison on reverse not known certainty. fraser stressed indian type, rather based on specific individual, , identified various native americans models, not consistently, including iron tail, 2 moons, , big tree (of kiowa people). there have been other claimants, prominent being john big tree, seneca, made many public appearances nickel indian until death in 1967. fraser recounted animal on reverse american bison, black diamond, whom stated lived @ bronx zoo, , described model bison @ bronx zoo. however, black diamond never @ bronx zoo, instead lived @ central park zoo (both facilities in new york city) until animal sold , slaughtered in 1915. placement of horns on still-extant mounted head of black diamond differs of bison on nickel.

from inception, coin referred buffalo nickel , reflecting common name bison. numismatic publication greatest circulation, coin world, calls indian head nickel, while r.s. yeoman s red book refers indian head or buffalo ..