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Dallas Signature Sale 1373 28-31 Mar 2024
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Buffalo Nickels
1918/7-D 5C FS-101 MS64 NGC. The 1918/7-D Buffalo nickel is among the rarest and most sought-after issues of the popular series, along with the 1916 Doubled Die Obverse and the 1937-D Three Legged variety. The coveted Guide Book and Cherrypickers' variety was not discovered until the 1930s, by which time the coins had been widely circulating for more than a decade. As a result, the 1918/7-D is seldom encountered in Mint State. It is definitely a rare issue at the MS64 grade level, and finer coins are prime condition rarities. The Cherrypickers' Guide describes FS-101:
"This is a very rare overdate, with the top of the 8 extending halfway up into the horizontal bar of the 7. The two 'ears' of the 7 show clearly, as well as the flat top surface of the 7. The diagonal of the 7 is straight, not curved, and appears on the right portion of the upper loop and the left half of the lower loop."
Like most 20th-century overdates, the 1918/7-D nickel was the result of double hubbing error that occurred in late 1917, when dies dated 1917 were still in use and dies for the next year were hurriedly manufactured. In The Complete Guide to Buffalo Nickels, David Lange describes the likely sequence of events:
"In sinking a working die, two or more impressions had to be taken from a working hub. Between each impression, the developing die was taken to the furnace to be annealed, or softened, since the first impression caused the metal to become workhardened. It was then ready for another impression. Amid the haste to produce new dies, a working die that had already been impressed with a hub dated 1917 was then either inadvertently or intentionally given another impression from a hub dated 1918. The result was an overdate."
P. Scott Rubin notes the 1918/7-D Buffalo nickel first surfaced in lot 545 of Hobby Shop Auction XIV (Paul Lange, 3/1930), under the heading WHO KNOWS ABOUT THIS?:
"1918 over 17 D mint nickel!!! Mint. The seven shows on top as well as the lower rounded part of it. I have looked over 8,000 other pieces but have not found another. The mint as well as many collectors of whom I inquired do not know anything about it - never saw one!"
A few more examples were discovered in upstate New York in the 1930 to 1934 time period, but the issue attracted little notice at the time. It only became widely known in the 1940s, when examples started showing up at auction more frequently and it was listed in the first edition of the Guide Book in 1946. Recent sales include the MS64 PCGS example in lot 3892 of the U.S. Coins Signature Auction (Heritage, 8/2022), that realized $90,000.
This spectacular Choice specimen exhibits sharply detailed design elements throughout. A diagnostic faint die crack is evident from the hair above the braid into the field. The well-preserved, mostly brilliant surfaces radiate vibrant mint luster from both sides, with a few subtle hints of lavender and pale gold toning. Overall eye appeal is terrific for this classic 20th century rarity. Census: 14 in 64, 4 finer (1/24).
https://coins.ha.com/itm/buffalo-nickels/1918-7-d-5c-fs-101-ms64-ngc/a/1373-3018.s?type=DA-DMC-CoinArchives-USCoins-1373-03282024
HID02906262019
© 2024 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved
1918/7-D 5C FS-101 MS64 NGC. The 1918/7-D Buffalo nickel is among the rarest and most sought-after issues of the popular series, along with the 1916 Doubled Die Obverse and the 1937-D Three Legged variety. The coveted Guide Book and Cherrypickers' variety was not discovered until the 1930s, by which time the coins had been widely circulating for more than a decade. As a result, the 1918/7-D is seldom encountered in Mint State. It is definitely a rare issue at the MS64 grade level, and finer coins are prime condition rarities. The Cherrypickers' Guide describes FS-101:
"This is a very rare overdate, with the top of the 8 extending halfway up into the horizontal bar of the 7. The two 'ears' of the 7 show clearly, as well as the flat top surface of the 7. The diagonal of the 7 is straight, not curved, and appears on the right portion of the upper loop and the left half of the lower loop."
Like most 20th-century overdates, the 1918/7-D nickel was the result of double hubbing error that occurred in late 1917, when dies dated 1917 were still in use and dies for the next year were hurriedly manufactured. In The Complete Guide to Buffalo Nickels, David Lange describes the likely sequence of events:
"In sinking a working die, two or more impressions had to be taken from a working hub. Between each impression, the developing die was taken to the furnace to be annealed, or softened, since the first impression caused the metal to become workhardened. It was then ready for another impression. Amid the haste to produce new dies, a working die that had already been impressed with a hub dated 1917 was then either inadvertently or intentionally given another impression from a hub dated 1918. The result was an overdate."
P. Scott Rubin notes the 1918/7-D Buffalo nickel first surfaced in lot 545 of Hobby Shop Auction XIV (Paul Lange, 3/1930), under the heading WHO KNOWS ABOUT THIS?:
"1918 over 17 D mint nickel!!! Mint. The seven shows on top as well as the lower rounded part of it. I have looked over 8,000 other pieces but have not found another. The mint as well as many collectors of whom I inquired do not know anything about it - never saw one!"
A few more examples were discovered in upstate New York in the 1930 to 1934 time period, but the issue attracted little notice at the time. It only became widely known in the 1940s, when examples started showing up at auction more frequently and it was listed in the first edition of the Guide Book in 1946. Recent sales include the MS64 PCGS example in lot 3892 of the U.S. Coins Signature Auction (Heritage, 8/2022), that realized $90,000.
This spectacular Choice specimen exhibits sharply detailed design elements throughout. A diagnostic faint die crack is evident from the hair above the braid into the field. The well-preserved, mostly brilliant surfaces radiate vibrant mint luster from both sides, with a few subtle hints of lavender and pale gold toning. Overall eye appeal is terrific for this classic 20th century rarity. Census: 14 in 64, 4 finer (1/24).
https://coins.ha.com/itm/buffalo-nickels/1918-7-d-5c-fs-101-ms64-ngc/a/1373-3018.s?type=DA-DMC-CoinArchives-USCoins-1373-03282024
HID02906262019
© 2024 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved