2005 Bison Nickel — Speared Bison

Specifications

Denomination: 5 cents
Series: Jefferson nickel (Westward Journey)
Designer: Jamie Franki (reverse); Joe Fitzgerald (obverse)
Years of issue: 2005
Composition: 75% Copper, 25% Nickel
Weight: 5 g
Diameter: 21.2 mm
Edge: Plain
Mint marks: D
Key mintages: Variety mintage not verified in consulted references; listed as PCGS# 84159.

Melt value: $0.05copper $0.44/ozt · prices as of Sep 16, 2026

910doitagain / Wikimedia Commons (CC0)

A raised die gouge spears through the bison's back on this 2005-D variety — look for raised metal, not a scratch.

History

PCGS identifies the Speared Bison as a 2005-D Jefferson nickel variety showing a large, conspicuous die gouge running through the bison's back (PCGS CoinFacts — 2005-D Speared Bison). Because the mark is raised metal produced by a gouge in the die, it is distinct from an incuse scratch or ordinary post-mint damage (PCGS CoinFacts — 2005-D Speared Bison; PCGS — How Did the 2005-D Speared Bison Nickel Come to Be).
The bison reverse was designed by Jamie Franki, and the 2005 obverse by Joe Fitzgerald, as the U.S. Mint's Westward Journey nickel series put the bison back on the five-cent piece (U.S. Mint — 2005 Nickel Designs Press Release).

Price ranges were not documented in the consulted references for this entry — compare live listings in the Market check below.

PCGS notes that high Mint State examples are difficult to find because many of these coins carry planchet marks, nicks, scratches, uneven color, or dull luster (PCGS CoinFacts — 2005-D Speared Bison).
PCGS says coins in MS65 are challenging to locate and that MS66 or higher examples become extremely difficult to find, with planchet problems and uneven color or luster to blame (PCGS CoinFacts — 2005-D Speared Bison).

The key diagnostic: a RAISED line running through the bison's back. Because it is raised metal from a gouge in the die, it is not an incuse post-mint scratch — ordinary scratches on 2005-D nickels do not qualify as the variety (PCGS CoinFacts — 2005-D Speared Bison; PCGS — How Did the 2005-D Speared Bison Nickel Come to Be).
2005-D Speared Bison (PCGS# 84159) — identified by a large die gouge through the bison's back (PCGS CoinFacts — 2005-D Speared Bison)

Composition: 75% copper, 25% nickel (GreatCollections — 2005-D Speared Bison Archive; Wikipedia — Jefferson Nickel)
Weight: 5.0 g (GreatCollections — 2005-D Speared Bison Archive; Wikipedia — Jefferson Nickel)
Diameter: 21.2 mm (GreatCollections — 2005-D Speared Bison Archive)
Edge: Plain (Wikipedia — Jefferson Nickel)
Alignment: Not verified in consulted references
Designers: Obverse: Joe Fitzgerald; reverse: Jamie Franki (U.S. Mint — 2005 Nickel Designs Press Release)
Mint: Denver — D mintmark (GreatCollections — 2005-D Speared Bison Archive)

Authentication caution: the variety is a die-produced raised feature on 2005-D coins only; a normal 2005-D nickel with a random scratch is not a Speared Bison (PCGS CoinFacts — 2005-D Speared Bison).