a strange S on a 1926 buffalo nickel?

[delta]

I happened across this ebay listing of a 1926-S buffalo nickel, key as the lowest mintage of the series, other than overdates or varieties:

 

271409177704

 

Doesn't the mint mark appear to be very strangely shaped, flat across the top and almost square at upper left?

 

Was the mint mark for this date ever reworked to produce this peculiar result? Please note the letters T and S in CENTS appear to be recut at their tops, indicating maybe somebody did rework one of the reverse dies.

[CaptHenway]

Don't recall seeing a 1926-S like that, but I cannot confirm or condemn it.

 

What is that on the obverse rim just to the right of 6 o'clock? Planchet flaw or rim damage?

[halfpint]

 

Doesn't the mint mark appear to be very strangely shaped

 

...I agree, looks like a candidate for the "put it in acetone and see if the mint mark floats off" test.

[MarkW]

Here are pics of the mintmark on 4 different 1926-S Buffalo Nickels for comparison.

 

 

These coins are all in the registry.

[xiawei-migration]

Please note the letters T and S in CENTS appear to be recut at their tops, indicating maybe somebody did rework one of the reverse dies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Fifa 14 Ultimate Team Coins

[Conder101]

The T and S appear to be MDD.

 

 

[delta]

Thanks to those who replied with helpful observations. After I posted the original question, that ebay sale ended unsold, the seller relisted the coin for $120 less, it continued unsold, and has now been relisted for $599 again.

 

A couple follow up questions please: Considering how easy it is to manipulate the metal of buffalo nickels, as demonstrated by the numerous examples of hobo nickels, some of which are sought as exquisite art, how difficult could it be to fabricate a mere s mintmark? Wouldn't it be child's play for anyone experienced in sculpting hobo nickels?

 

And isn't it suspicious that aside from its anomalous shape, the s mintmark appears to be enclosed in a slightly irregular darkish square, as if something happened there? Being that the 1926-s is the key to the regular buffalo nickel series, isn't it justifiable to be especially skeptical?