It’s funny how things happen…..1916 DDO Buffalo Nickel
Vetter
Posts: 881 ✭✭✭✭✭
A couple of weeks ago I ended up selling one of my 1916 DDO Buffalo Nickels. It was an acid date, but really well done. Lo and behold another one came up for sale for less than I sold the acid date for. It’s in really nice condition considering it’s dateless. No one has put a drop of acid on it and I intend to keep it that way. 
Members I have done business with:
Silverman68, jfoot13, GAB, ricman, Smittys, scrapman1077, RyGuy, Connecticoin, Meltdown, VikingDude, Peaceman, Patches and more.
Silverman68, jfoot13, GAB, ricman, Smittys, scrapman1077, RyGuy, Connecticoin, Meltdown, VikingDude, Peaceman, Patches and more.
3
Comments
I've always thought the key to this coin is the date; not having the date makes me scratch my head about the value.
Perhaps I stand alone with this logic.
I don't share that with all coins. For example, a Chain cent without a date is a go with me. Just this doubled date without a date is a non-starter.
peacockcoins
The 1916/16 nickel is actually a DDO and it can be identified even when the date is missing. Of course, a clear visible date is always more desirable especially for a coin such as this one.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
Help me. On a worn coin, how can you tell this is a DDO not to mention a 1916? I see lettering that appear to wider than usual but that appearance seems to happen to wornout coins.
USAF (Ret.) 1985 - 2005. E-4B Aircraft Maintenance Crew Chief and Contracting Officer.
My current Registry sets:
✓ Everyman Mint State Carson City Morgan Dollars (1878 – 1893)
✓ Everyman Mint State Lincoln Cents (1909 – 1958)
✓ Morgan Dollar GSA Hoard (1878 – 1891)
The feathers are also doubled, not just the date... lots of doubled areas on this coin.
I am a newer collector (started April 2020), and I primarily focus on U.S. Half Cents and Type Coins. Early copper is my favorite.
The major grading services will grade these as a 1916/16 or DDO even without the date showing. Obviously, they're worth less than if the date were visible but they are still worth at least a couple hundred dollars.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
I totally get that. Of course, you can spot the characteristics of the 1916/16 without a date- but come on: It is the date that makes this coin cool.
If an 1893-S Morgan could be determined as to the position of the mintmark, yet this hypothetical Morgan has the date worn off, there wouldn't be much value for me in that coin.
peacockcoins
The coin tells its story perfectly well without the date. This can't be said about all coins in the same condition.
Pete
Would the 1918/7 Buffalo nickel also "tell the story perfectly" without the date*?
*Assuming there is a characteristic that is exclusive to this variety.
peacockcoins
A dateless 1916 SL Quarter graded PO01 recently sold for over $2500.
My Adolph A. Weinman signature
I don’t think @braddick is talking about the “story”. But rather, what makes the 1916 DDO cool-looking to many of us, is the doubling of the date, itself. He contrasted that with 1793 Chain cents, which look cool, due to the design, not the date. So a dateless Chain cent could still be highly appealing, while a dateless 1916 DDO nickel, wouldn’t.
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
Many collectors still find the dateless 1916 DDO appealing because that's all they can afford for this very rare key date coin. That's why they sell for a couple hundred dollars or more. Obviously, a 1916 DDO showing a full date or even a partial date is far more desirable but its price is well beyond the reach of most collectors.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
My preference would be to have the date at least legible... as I am sure most would prefer. However, being able to identify the coin by the other features (i.e. doubled feathers), at least makes it a good album coin, plus available for economically restricted collectors. Cheers, RickO
I personally would much rather see the date. That being said, there is a market for those that don't show it. I sold a raw acid dated example on the bay for $650 a couple years ago.
@braddick said: I've always thought the key to this coin is the date; not having the date makes me scratch my head about the value.
I have never understood the logic in owning a coin where the chief diagnostic to its identity is worn away such as this. It's certainly a tribute to Numismatists that they can identify a coin such as this from other diagnostics but the date is really what makes it what it is.
To the point made by @MFeld, we call the cent a "Chain Cent" in common parlance and the nickel is commonly called a "1916/16 Buffalo" and not a DDO Nickel. The date is key, for me at least.
An acid treated one recently sold for $900, while a dateless FR02 brought $1799.
My Adolph A. Weinman signature
"Tells its story" refers to the attributes that a 1916 DDO has that give it away even being dateless.
Pete