Two Feathers Buffalo (Indian Head) Nickels

[rbrown4]

I had posted a reply on the Follow the Lead Post on $.05 denominations which showed two Buffalo Nickels of the "Two Feathers" variety. A suggestion was made to perhaps look at this on a separate post, so I will throw this out for discussion and input.

 

It is my understanding that this variety resulted from the obverse die being heavily polished to perhaps remove clash marks resulting in a die with the intermost feather missing, giving the nickname "Two Feathers".

 

Please share your knowledge and/or history behind this variety.

 

Below is the original post.

 

In keeping with the $.05 denomination, here are two Buffalo Nickels both of which I believe are the "two feathers" variety the best I can tell. I have looked closely under magnification and can not find any evidence of the smaller feather that should be lie between the neck and innermost feather on these. The first is perhaps a 1915 or 1917 and the second one is a 1926 D.

 

If there is anything that would indicate these are not, please let me know. As Mark Twain said, "It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble, it's what you know for sure that just ain't so."

 

(Dooley - Found one more of these in the album)

 

Thanks,

 

Rey

 

 

 

 

 

[bsshog40]

So then This is the 3rd feather that this would be referring to?

[rbrown4]

Yes, that is it, very small but obvious. Even with the heavy toning and discolorization on my two, I have looked under 20 X magnification and can not see any evidence of this being there. Plus there are higher points on the obverse which would have been more worn for that to have been "worn" off I would think.

 

Rey

[Hoot]

Rey - Two feather varieties are indeed from over-zealous lapping of dies, the same process that resulted in the '37-D 3-legged and several 3-1/2 legged varieties. They are slightly more common than uncommon and slightly less common than common, if that makes any sense. The Cherrypicker's Guide lists the 1913-D T1, 1915, 1917, 1917-D, 1917-S, 1918, 1918-S, 1919, 1920-S, 1921, 1921-S, 1925-D, and 1925-S. There are indeed, likely others.

 

Your first coin looks like a '17-S to me, but the second looks like a '29-D. In any case, it's a piece that the CP guide does not list. Although not surprising, it's fun to make such a find.

 

With the 2-feather varieties, one must only be certain that the third feather is not missing from corrosion (quite common) or circulation wear (also common). Any vestige of the feather disqualifies the coin as a 2-feather piece.

 

BTW, the CP guide lists these as 3/5 stars as an interest rating. That usually means that they are fun to find but add little premium. This has always struck me as funny since the 3-legged and 3-1/2 legged buffs aren't much more but carry significantly better premiums.

 

Keep on hunting! I snag these pieces whenever I find them, and have found four (a '17-S, two 20-Ss, and a 25-S). Here's my best one - a 1925-S I picked a few years ago, graded XF40 by NGC and attributed with the CP number FS-016.641.

 

 

Hoot

[jesbroken]

nice post Rey,

I have sold many buffalo and never have had one of this variety. I checked each one. It would seem more rare than they say.

thanks for the post.

Jim

[hoard]

I just checked my Dansco and found 1919D, 21S, 29S as two feathers. The 1916 is nearly two feathers with only the slightest bit of the outline noticable under magnification. The 1916 is an EF coin so this must have been caused by die polishing. It is very interesting as I have never really noticed it until now, perhaps at one point I did know about two feathers but without a real premium or fuss being made, out of sight out of mind.

 

This thread is now going to cause me work as I now feel the need to go through the misc rolls of indian heads to look for two feather coinage.

[bsshog40]

Your first coin looks like a '17-S to me, but the second looks like a '29-D. In any case, it's a piece that the CP guide does not list. Although not surprising, it's fun to make such a find.

 

Hoot

 

My question to you Hoot, is how can you tell that the top buff is a 17s. I see no date. I supposedly have a 13s but it has not date. is there a way to distinguish dates on these things?

[rbrown4]

Hoot,

 

Thank you for the information regarding these, much appreciated. On the first coin, with a high power mag lens one can barely make out a 7 as the last digit mainly the corner area between the upper line and slanted base. So it must be the 17-S. The other is a 26 just not a good pic to show the date clear. A coin as you posted is much easier I would think to eliminate any possibility of corrosion or wear begin the culprit - nice and clean coin there.

 

Hoard,

 

Well hopefully it will be rewarding additional work. I was not aware of this either until I ran across it in the CP guide and that led me down the same road - re-examining all of my Buffalos.

 

Thanks,

 

Rey