The 2009-W American Buffalo Gold Proof arrived under unusual circumstances. Gold blank shortages forced the United States Mint to cancel all bullion-strike and fractional Buffalo products for the year, leaving this one-ounce proof as the only Gold Buffalo coin issued in 2009. That distinction, combined with a final mintage of 49,306 coins, gives this date a clear collector appeal beyond its bullion content alone.
Key Features:
- Purity & Weight: 1 troy oz of .9999 fine (24-karat) gold, face value $50
- Metal: Gold
- Obverse: Right-facing portrait of a Native American chief, inscribed “LIBERTY,” dated “2009,” with “W” mint mark and “F” designer initial
- Reverse: Full-body American bison on rocky ground, inscribed “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “E PLURIBUS UNUM,” “IN GOD WE TRUST,” and “1 OZ. .9999 FINE GOLD $50”
- Limited Mintage of 49,306.
The obverse presents James Earle Fraser’s composite portrait of a Native American chief in sharp left-facing profile. The face is modeled with strong relief, the brow and jaw line clearly defined against the frosted field. Hair falls in textured strands behind a bound braid at the neck, with two feathers resting against it on the left. The “W” West Point mint mark sits behind the neck, and “2009” with the “F” Fraser initial appear below the portrait. The reverse shows the bison in a low, weighted stance — head dropped forward, thick mane cascading over the left shoulder, hooves planted on rough, mottled ground. The textured field surrounding the animal is a deliberate carry-over from Fraser’s 1913 Buffalo Nickel design, and in proof format the contrast between the frosted bison and the mirror-polished background reads with particular sharpness.
The coin ships in its original United States Mint packaging: a brown leather-finish hardcover presentation box with gold-tone hardware and the Mint’s insignia embossed on the lid interior, matching the packaging introduced in 2008. A Certificate of Authenticity from the U.S. Mint is included, and the coin sits in a protective capsule. The 32.70 mm diameter is standard for the one-ounce proof Buffalo series. With no bullion-strike one-ounce Buffalo produced that year, the proof is the sole 2009 representative of the entire series.
A mintage of just over 49,000 pieces, combined with its status as the year’s only Gold Buffalo issue, makes the 2009-W a straightforward addition for date collectors building a complete proof set. Add the 2009-W Gold Buffalo Proof to your cart today.