The United States Mint has unveiled images of its upcoming 2026-W $5 Reverse Proof American Gold Buffalo, revealing a special 20th anniversary privy mark on the one-tenth-ounce gold coin scheduled for release Dec. 10.
It will be the first fractional Gold Buffalo issued since 2008 and only the second reverse proof in the series, following a one-ounce edition released in 2013 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of James Earle Fraser’s original Buffalo nickel designs. That earlier reverse proof finished with a mintage of 47,836.
Celebrating two decades of the American Gold Buffalo series, the new collectible will be struck at the West Point Mint in one-tenth ounce of .9999 fine, 24-karat gold. It features Fraser’s familiar designs, originally created for the 1913 Buffalo nickel.
Newly released imagery shows a “20th” privy mark on the obverse, positioned below the Native American portrait’s feathers and above the date 2026. The W mint mark appears farther up along the left side, near the feathers.
Unlike traditional proof coins, which generally feature frosted designs against mirrored fields, the reverse proof finish reverses that appearance, giving the raised designs a mirror-like look against frosted backgrounds.
Classic Buffalo Designs With Anniversary Features
Fraser’s obverse depicts a right-facing portrait of a Native American, accompanied by the inscriptions LIBERTY and 2026, the W mint mark, the designer’s initial F and the anniversary privy mark. On the reverse, an American bison stands on a mound, surrounded by the inscriptions UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, E PLURIBUS UNUM, IN GOD WE TRUST, $5, 1/10 OZ. and .9999 FINE GOLD.
Introduced in 2006, the American Gold Buffalo program became the Mint’s first 24-karat gold coin series. Although one-ounce bullion and proof versions have continued annually, fractional editions were offered only in 2008, when the Mint released half-ounce, quarter-ounce and one-tenth-ounce coins in proof and burnished uncirculated finishes.
Selected American Gold Buffalo Mintages
| Year | Coin | Mintage |
|---|---|---|
| 2008-W | $5 Proof Gold Buffalo (1/10 oz.) | 18,884 |
| 2008-W | $5 Burnished Gold Buffalo (1/10 oz.) | 17,429 |
| 2013-W | $50 Reverse Proof Gold Buffalo (1 oz.) | 47,836 |
| 2026-W | $5 Reverse Proof Gold Buffalo (1/10 oz.) | TBD |
Different From 2026 Semiquincentennial Gold Buffalo
The anniversary release also differs from the 2026-W $50 Proof American Gold Buffalo launched May 7.
That one-ounce coin celebrates America’s 250th anniversary with the dual date 1776 ~ 2026 and a Liberty Bell privy mark containing the numeral 250. It debuted at $5,540, with a product limit of 15,000 coins. The coin has been unavailable for weeks, with its last reported sales increase occurring in the week ending Sept. 7, when sales rose by 12 to 14,737.
Both coins retain Fraser’s historic artwork, but differ in gold content, denomination, finish and commemorative markings.
December Release and Ordering Details
Scheduled for release Dec. 10 at noon ET, the 20th Anniversary 2026-W $5 Reverse Proof American Gold Buffalo has yet to receive an official selling price, mintage limit or product limit. The coin carries an initial household order limit of one.
For an indication of its potential price range, the previously released and now-unavailable 1776 ~ 2026-W $5 Proof American Gold Eagle, which also contains one-tenth ounce of gold, would be priced at $580 under the Mint’s last-used pricing tier, based on a weekly average gold price of $4,150.00 to $4,199.99.
Source: CoinNews.net