1926-S 5C MS(PCGS#3959)

Spring 2026 Showcase Auction U.S. Coins

Auctioneer

Stack's Bowers

Lot Number

3040

Grade

MS65

Price

31,200

Lot Description

This is a conditionally rare survivor of a key date Buffalo nickel. Lightly toned surfaces exhibit wisps of champagne-pink and antique gold iridescence to dominant pearl gray patina. The surfaces are smooth and lustrous, and the strike offers bold to sharp detail throughout the design.<p>Discounting only the overdates and varieties such as the 1918/7-D and 1916 Doubled Die Obverse, the 1926-S is the rarest Buffalo nickel in Mint State. It has the lowest mintage of any circulation strike of the type with only 970,000 coins produced. Even low grade Uncirculated survivors are very scarce, while Gems are "nearly unknown" per David W. Lange (<em>The Complete Guide to Buffalo Nickels, Second Edition</em>, 2000). Indeed, this is one of the very few examples above the MS-64 level that we have handled in recent memory. As one of the finest certified survivors of this highly regarded issue, this coin provides an important bidding opportunity for the collector assembling an advanced Buffalo nickel set.