Obverse: The Buffalo Nickel is one of the most distinctive coins ever minted. It was designed by sculptor James E. Fraser, a former assistant to Saint-Gaudens. The Indian on the obverse is a composite of three Native Americans who posed for Fraser years earlier.Reverse: Maintaining the distinctly American theme, Fraser depicted an American bison on the back. It is believed that the buffalo was modeled after Black Diamond, a popular attraction at the New York Zoo.