Purchasing buffalo nickels in mint condition should be your goal, since the state of a coin is really important to its worth as a collectible. Any coin which is damaged, marked, scratched, or scuffed will usually suffer a serious reduction in value compared to a coin in finer form. It is also important to realize that value is not determined by age alone. While age and rarity are important factors when determining the value of a coin there are other factors that affect the coin's value in the eyes of a collector. Coins can be valued by many factors, the most important of which is, of course demand.