The American Buffalo silver dollar is a commemorative silver dollar issued by the United States Mint in 2001. The coin commemorates both the National Museum of the American Indian and the Buffalo nickel, the latter serving as the basis for the dollar's design. The coin was authorized by .

Design

The design of the coin was based on the Buffalo nickel designed by James Earle Fraser in 1913. The obverse features an American Indian head that Fraser had based on the Sioux Iron Tail, the Kiowa Big Tree, and the Cheyenne Two Moons. The reverse features an

American bison The American bison (''Bison bison'') is a species of bison native to North America. Sometimes colloquially referred to as American buffalo or simply buffalo (a different clade of bovine), it is one of two extant species of bison, alongside the ...

standing on a mound, which was based on the original Buffalo nickel reverse produced only in 1913.

Production and sales

Public Law 106–375 authorized a maximum mintage of 500,000 American Buffalo dollars. The coins went on sale on June 7, 2001, and sold out just 2 weeks later on June 21. The Philadelphia Mint produced 227,131 uncirculated and 272,869

proof coins Proof coinage refers to special early samples of a coin issue, historically made for checking the dies (as in demonstrating that something is true) and for archival purposes. Nowadays proofs are often struck in greater numbers specially for co ...

. Because the coins were so popular, the National Museum of the American Indian requested an additional 250,000 or 500,000 coins to be produced, but this request was denied.

References

2001 establishments in the United States Bison on coins Modern United States commemorative coins Native Americans on coins Works by James Earle Fraser (sculptor) National Museum of the American Indian {{US-stub

Design

Production and sales

See also

References