Today, there are more and more people who are going into coin collecting, whether for the purpose of serious trading or just fun collecting. These coins can either be authentic or commemorative. One of these many beautiful commemorative coins is the Silver Buffalo.
During the year 2001, the buffalo was revived in the public release of the special one-dollar, 90% pure silver commemorative coin of America's most loved and widely collected Buffalo nickel.
The original and much celebrated Buffalo nickel was designed by James Earle Fraser, and was minted during the year 1913 to 1938. For its design, three different American Indians posed as models. They are Chief Iron Tail, Chief Big Tree, and Chief Two Moons. For the buffalo design, an actual buffalo from the New York's Central Park Zoo was used as a model.
To retain this classic design that reflected the culture of Native Americans, the commemorative Silver Buffalo dollar depicted a remarkable American Indian profile on the front and an American buffalo on the back.
Because the Silver Buffalo is very sought after by the public, there are many counterfeiters who make fake ones and pass it off as the real thing, selling it at high prices. You should be aware of the many replicas of the commemorative Silver Buffalo dollar out there that are for sale. These replicas are not endorsed and minted by the U.S. Mint. You can certainly steer away from these by keeping in mind the numerous differences between an authentic and fake coin.
Inscription
An authentic Silver Buffalo dollar features an inscription 'In God We Trust' along the upper portion of the coin and above the buffalo's back. The inscription 'E Plubribus Unum' can be found under the buffalo's head. Replicas do not.
Official Denomination
A 'One Dollar' official denomination of an authentic Silver Buffalo dollar can be found below the buffalo. On the other hand, replicas have 'Giant Buffalo Proof' inscribed.
P & F
There is a mint mark that can be found below the denomination, a (P) that indicates where the coin was minted (Philadelphia) and 'F', that represents the artist of the coin, James Earle Fraser. Again, replicas do not.
Mintage Year
The year '2001' is located on the Native American or front side of the Silver Buffalo Dollar, while the replica has the mintage year found below the buffalo on the reverse side.
These are just some of the tell-tale signs of counterfeits. Other general options would be to compare specifications of a fake and real coin. Weight it, note down its size in diameter, and analyze its surface and appearance. You can also subject it to the magnet test. If the coin is not attracted to the magnet, then it is real. But if it does, it is most likely a fake. Remember, the coin is silver, and not steel. It should not be attracted to the magnet.
Overall, before buying any coin, you should really look into its authenticity so you can be assured that you are getting your money's worth.
