Popularly called Buffalo nickes, these coins are also known as Indian Head or Bison nickels. With their portrait of a Native American on the obverse and an American bison on the reverse, Buffalo nickels are tributes to this land's native heritage. Designer James Earle Fraser wanted something unique for this country, "a coin which could not be mistaken for another coin in the world outside the united states." And he succeeded. The Buffalo nickel offerscollectors detail and realizm found on few other US coins.

The coins' metal compositon is 75% copper and 25% nickel.