Is this a two feather buffalo nickel?

Blackhawk

Is this the two feather variety of the 1929-S buffalo nickel?

There's something going on where the third feather usually is. The feather/disturbance is pretty light, and in most lighting conditions is not evident...the photo shows it when most prominent. My first thought was that it was a die clash, but I can't see what would have made a clash of that shape when looking at what's on the buffalo side of the coin. Doing a search for the variety on the internet, I've found someone else asking the same question on another coin site, as well as worn nickels of the date with similar features being advertised and sold as two feather varieties. Anyone have any information about this one?

icsoccer

No...buy very pretty!

Blackhawk

<< <i>No...buy very pretty! >>



Before summarily dismissing it as not of the variety, does any forum member have a photo of a higher grade 1929-S two feather to compare it to? If I turn the coin a little, what's there disappears, so I don't think that it's a normal full-detail coin. I believe that most of what is visible would be gone by the time the coin was worn to VF or low XF.

Placid

Is there a clash visible below the chin of a partial igwt?

There is a pic of a 67 on Heritage but its kind of small. Link

RichieURich

Here are pix of VF-35 and F-15 1929-S 2 feather Buffalo Nickels:

BUFFNIXX

There is an outline of the third feather there. The whole feather is just weak. I would not call it a two feather variety and most of the buff variety collectors I know would not call it that either. That said, it is still a nice coin. buffnixx

Blackhawk

Rich, the VF coin appears to have something in the area, but I can't see anything evident of the F.

I wish that the Heritage auction in question had the "microscope" feature available that they use for some of their coins. The coin that I have does have some "razor stubble" at the chin, but no letters of the IGWT clash are clear.

Here's another photo which gives you a better idea of what looks like a clash - There's an incuse area at the back of the neck.

Blackhawk

All this leads me to this question...Is there such a thing as a 1929-S two feather variety nickel in high grade, or is the variety just available in mid and low grades when the detail that was first there has worn off?

Here's a Ebay listing that features a coin in VF or so, it appears to have the same detail, albiet worn, where the feather is supposed to be...link.

A photo of a high grade two feather of the date would help.

koynekwest

Yours has a little too much feather to qualify in my opinion. There are two different dies for the date-one that has a faint "ghost" of a feather and one that's a true 2F. I cherried an MS64 of this last one several years ago but have no image of it except in my book.

Harry779

I cant see any differences....what exactly am i looking for?

I have several rolls of Buffs that i should check.

Maybe someone has a side by side picture of the differences?

Thanks

cmerlo1

<< <i>Yours has a little too much feather to qualify in my opinion. There are two different dies for the date-one that has a faint "ghost" of a feather and one that's a true 2F. I cherried an MS64 of this last one several years ago but have no image of it except in my book. >>



What he said- he wrote the book!

Blackhawk

Any idea what the indent/incuse area is? Die clash?

BXBOY143

ebay 2 feather....



another one.....

IrishMikey

The indent in the feather area appears to be a small struck-through, but I am not certain. Most
collectors that I have spoken to about the "2 Feather" variety do not want to see anything but
field in this area. It may be that for some years, there are no true 2 Feathers in Mint State,
although this area is really not subject to wear until the coin hits Fine or lower.

ad4400

another cherried 2 feather in 64, unfortunatly not me, but another board member

ecichlid

<< <i> It may be that for some years, there are no true 2 Feathers in Mint State,
although this area is really not subject to wear until the coin hits Fine or lower. >>



Not true, as you can see from the link above. The two feather is not from wear but rather an from abraded die. You may want to get yourself a copy of Ron Pope's book Buffalo Nickels - The Abraded Die Varieties . Available here Rich Uhrich Rare U.S. Coins

We're fortunate that Ron Pope (koynekwest) posts here on occasion.

koynekwest

A little insomnia tonight so here's one of my occasional posts. ecichlid is correct-the 2 feather varieties are caused by the polishing of the die, usually after a die clash-exactly as happened with the famous 1937-D 3 legged buffalo variety. Sometimes the designer's initial below the date is removed by this same process, and there are a few dates that are missing both the smallest feather AND the designer's initial. The indent behind the neck is most often a clash from the reverse of the head, neck, or shoulder of the bison-which depends on if, and how much, the die was rotated.

The two most common 2 feather (2F) dates are the 1916 and the 1921, both of which exist in some quantity in Mint State. Both are "true" 2F varieties, with no trace of the feather to be seen. Most of the other dates are, indeed, scarce to unknown in uncirculated grade. There are currently 27 different dates that can be called 2F varieties, with 18 dates/Mints that are considered true 2F coins. Putting a set of these together is quite a challenge-some are very tough even in low grade. Though the 2F Buffs aren't exactly a mainstream item, those that are interested in them can be enthusiastic when collecting them. I collected them for over 35 years and once had a near complete set of the ones that were known at the time. And they are a "naked eye" variety-no microscope needed to see these.