1918 Buffalo Nickel Errors, Varieties and Value

Among all twenty-six years of the Buffalo nickel series, 1918 is home to the coin most collectors consider its single greatest rarity: the 1918/7-D overdate, where a leftover 1917 working die was reworked with a new date and pressed back into service at the Denver Mint. GetCoinHunt helps you search inventory from multiple coin dealers in one place, compare available examples, and create a wishlist alert when the right coin is not currently listed.

Design and history

James Earle Fraser’s Type 2 design, in place since midway through 1913, remained unchanged through 1918: a composite Native American portrait on the obverse and a bison on a flatter, recessed reverse ground. All 1918 nickels share the series-wide specifications — 75% copper, 25% nickel, 5.00 grams, 21.21mm diameter, plain edge — and carry no mintmark from Philadelphia or a D or S beneath FIVE CENTS from Denver and San Francisco.

Errors and varieties to know

The 1918/7-D overdate is a premier twentieth-century American rarity. PCGS calls it the rarest established date in the series apart from a handful of later-discovered specialist varieties. The underlying 7 is visible within and around the final 8 in the date, evidence that a Denver working die originally hubbed with a 1917 date was reworked and pressed into 1918 production. Because the Denver mintmark must also be genuine and correctly positioned, a legitimate 1918/7-D requires both the overdate and the mintmark to match documented references.

The plain 1918 Philadelphia issue is itself a genuinely better date within the series — not an error, but a legitimately lower-mintage year that commands a premium over more common issues. Normal 1918-D and 1918-S nickels round out the year as separate regular issues.

PCGS also recognizes Two Feathers dies for Philadelphia and San Francisco in 1918, created by excessive die polishing that removed the small innermost feather between Fraser’s portrait and the long feather behind it.

How to examine a 1918 Buffalo nickel

Given the value at stake, a claimed 1918/7-D deserves the most careful examination of any coin in this series:

• Look for the underlying 7 within and around the final 8 under strong magnification and raking light, and compare the exact pattern against certified reference photos — the overdate has a specific, repeatable appearance that altered coins routinely fail to reproduce.
• Confirm the D mintmark’s size, shape, and position match documented Denver dies from this period; an added or altered mintmark is a serious and well-documented risk on this date.
• For a claimed Two Feathers coin, match the documented polished-die characteristics rather than judging by a feather that’s simply hard to see.
• Raised, rounded doubling is genuine; flat or shelf-like doubling is mechanical and unrelated to the overdate.

Given how frequently valuable dates like this one attract altered or re-engraved digits, see our guide to documented counterfeit U.S. coins for background on how these alterations are typically detected. Never clean a candidate 1918/7-D, and treat certification as essential rather than optional.

Buying considerations

Certified versus raw coins

Buying a raw, uncertified 1918/7-D at any meaningful price is genuinely risky given how often the overdate is faked or misattributed. A PCGS- or NGC-certified example, with the certification number verified on the grading service’s own website, is strongly recommended before any serious purchase.

Understanding grades and condition

Value on the 1918/7-D rises steeply with grade, and even heavily worn, low-grade examples command substantial prices given the coin’s rarity. For ordinary 1918 Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco nickels, wear appears first on the portrait’s cheekbone and the bison’s shoulder and horn, following the same pattern as other Buffalo nickel dates.

Problem coins

Cleaning, scratches, and environmental damage reduce value on any 1918 nickel, but the effect is magnified on a claimed 1918/7-D, where surface problems can also make authentication more difficult. A details-graded overdate is still a meaningful and collectible coin, but the stated problem should be clearly reflected in the price.

Suggested search terms and filters

Start broad: “1918 Buffalo nickel,” “1918/7-D overdate,” “1918-D Buffalo nickel,” or “1918 Philadelphia nickel.”

Then narrow by:

• Issue: regular strike or 1918/7-D overdate
• Mint: no mark (Philadelphia), D (Denver), or S (San Francisco)
• Certification: PCGS, NGC, or raw

Availability and pricing notes

Ordinary 1918 nickels from all three mints are available at a range of price points, with the Philadelphia issue commanding a modest premium as a better date. A certified 1918/7-D is a scarce, high-value coin whose price depends heavily on grade and eye appeal — compare recent completed sales from a source such as Heritage Auctions or Stack’s Bowers rather than relying on any single asking price.

GetCoinHunt does not guarantee that every listing is authentic, accurately graded, or fairly priced. Authentication, grading, pricing, return policies, and fulfillment remain the responsibility of the dealer or marketplace offering the coin.

How the GetCoinHunt wishlist alert works

1. Search for the coin. Enter “1918 Buffalo Nickel” to search participating dealer inventory.
2. Review the available matches. Compare listings by overdate attribution, mint, grade, and certification.
3. Add the search to your wishlist. If the right example isn’t available, save “1918 Buffalo Nickel” as a wishlist item with variety or grade preferences where available.
4. Get notified about new matches. GetCoinHunt sends an alert when new dealer inventory matches your wishlist.
5. Evaluate the coin before buying. Verify certification and photographs, read the full listing, and review the seller’s terms.

Frequently asked questions

What is the 1918/7-D overdate?

A Denver working die originally hubbed with a 1917 date was reworked with a new date and used in 1918 production, leaving the underlying 7 visible within and around the final 8. PCGS calls it the rarest established date in the series apart from a few later-discovered specialist varieties.

How can I tell a genuine 1918/7-D from an altered coin?

Compare the exact pattern of the underlying 7 against certified reference photos, and confirm the D mintmark matches documented Denver dies. Given how frequently this date is faked, certification from PCGS or NGC is strongly recommended rather than optional.

Is the plain 1918 Philadelphia nickel valuable?

It’s a legitimately better date within the series and commands a modest premium, though it isn’t in the same category as the 1918/7-D overdate.

Why is certification so important for this date?

The overdate’s high value makes it a frequent target for alteration, and distinguishing a genuine underlying 7 from tool marks or acid treatment requires expert examination.

What if no suitable coin is currently available?

Add “1918 Buffalo Nickel” to your wishlist below. You’ll be notified when newly detected dealer inventory matches your search.

Illustrated diagnostic upgrades

The following marker cards consolidate CoinHunt’s researched variety diagnostics into this canonical guide. Each original vector is a diagnostic illustration, not a photograph, and its licensing record remains with the image asset.

1918/7-D Buffalo Nickel FS-101

Documented Fact The final 8 in the date was hubbed over a 7, producing the major 1918/7-D overdate. ^[1]

Quick Hunt

1. Confirm the Denver D beneath the denomination on the reverse.
2. Inspect the final date digit for the raised diagonal and top-bar remnants of a 7 beneath the 8.
3. Match the complete overdate geometry to a certified close-up.
4. Reject scratches, displaced metal, and an ordinary weak final 8.

Diagnostic illustration — not a photograph.

Authentication Caution

The date is a high-value alteration target. A suspicious final digit or added D is not sufficient; authenticate the full coin before purchase.

Image Credit

CoinHunt created this original vector marker map because no exact reusable forensic photograph was approved.

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