The 2013-W American Buffalo Gold Proof holds a notable place in the series: with a final mintage of just 18,584 coins, it is the lowest-mintage standard proof Buffalo ever struck in the one-ounce format. That figure places it narrowly below the 2008-W’s 18,863 and well under the 2012-W’s 19,715, making it the scarcest issue in the core proof series. The coin also arrived in a year the United States Mint released a separate centennial reverse proof, giving collectors two distinct 2013-W proof options — this being the traditional standard finish.
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 “2013,” 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 18,584
The obverse presents James Earle Fraser’s composite portrait of a Native American chief in sharp left-facing profile. The face is deeply modeled — brow, cheekbone, and jaw clearly defined in the frosted relief — with hair falling in pronounced strands swept back from the crown. Two feathers press flat against the hair on the left, their individual quills and vanes rendered with fine precision. A wrapped braid gathers at the neck, with the binding cloth and its folds struck in detail at the base of the portrait. The “W” West Point mint mark sits behind the neck, with “2013” and the “F” Fraser initial below. The jet-black mirror fields behind the frosted portrait produce deep cameo contrast. The reverse carries the bison in a forward, lowered stance with its head dipped toward the ground. The mane is heavily detailed across the chest and left shoulder, each strand individually defined. The four legs plant on rough, irregular rock, and the mirror-bright field surrounding the animal throws the frosted design into sharp relief — the same textured ground element Fraser introduced in his 1913 Buffalo Nickel, preserved faithfully in every proof strike of this series.
The coin arrives in its original United States Mint packaging: a brown leather-finish hardcover presentation box with gold-tone hardware and the Mint’s insignia on the interior lid. A Certificate of Authenticity is included, and the coin is housed in a protective capsule. Diameter is the standard 32.70 mm for the one-ounce proof series.
No other standard proof Buffalo has been struck in lower numbers than the 2013-W. For collectors building a complete date run or targeting the key dates specifically, this coin belongs at the top of the list. Add the 2013-W Gold Buffalo Proof to your cart today.