The 2014-W American Buffalo Gold Proof arrives in the series’ tightest production window. Bracketed by the record-low 2013-W and a run of similarly constrained years, the 2014 issue continues the pattern of restrained proof output that makes this era of the series meaningful for date collectors. Every coin contains one full troy ounce of .9999 fine, 24-karat gold, struck to proof specification at the West Point Mint.
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 “2014,” 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 20,557
The obverse presents James Earle Fraser’s composite portrait of a Native American chief in sharp left-facing profile. The face is rendered with strong sculptural depth against the deep mirror field — brow, cheekbone, and jaw line clearly defined, with the eyes set back beneath a heavy brow. Hair falls in textured strands swept back from the crown, with two feathers pressed flat against the left side. A wrapped braid secures at the neck, its binding cloth struck with the same fine detail visible across the entire frosted portrait. The “W” West Point mint mark appears behind the neck, with “2014” and the “F” Fraser initial below. The jet-black proof field surrounding the portrait creates the pronounced cameo contrast characteristic of this series at its best. The reverse places the bison in a forward, slightly lowered stance, its massive head turned right and its shaggy mane falling in layered, individually defined strands down the left shoulder and chest. The hooves plant on rough, broken rock — the mottled ground element drawn directly from Fraser’s original 1913 Buffalo Nickel — and the mirror-bright field throws the frosted bison into sharp relief.
The coin arrives in a redesigned United States Mint packaging introduced for 2014: a hardwood presentation box with a matte brown finish and a leather-like inset, replacing the high-gloss brown leather box of prior years. A Certificate of Authenticity bearing the Mint’s seal and a large gold script “G” on the cover is included, and the coin sits in a protective capsule. The coin measures 32.70 mm in diameter, consistent across the one-ounce proof Buffalo series. The 2014-W was released on May 8, 2014, at an opening price of $1,640 — the lowest starting price for a proof Buffalo since 2010.
Coming directly after the record-low 2013-W mintage and arriving with the series’ new packaging format, the 2014-W represents both a transitional and scarce issue in the proof Buffalo run. Add it to your cart today.