Two feather variety buffalo question

jesbroken

Is there truthfully any value to a two feather variety 1918 P Buffalo Nickel? I see many for sale at exhorbitant prices, but do any of them actually sell. I bought one just because i think it is a two feather variety just to have one. Not truly sure it is one as I think I can see a faint shadow of the feather. What do you think?

Here is the one I bought.

koynekwest

If the prices you mention are from a certain ebay seller then yes-his prices are quite high. This variety in the higher grade levels readily sell-I keep an eye on them in venues other than ebay, such as Heritage and Great Collections, where they can do quite well, especially if they are one of the scarcer dates. Most don't do well on ebay if they sell at all. There is a small but dedicated collector base for these and a few dates are quite rare.

OnWithTheHunt

A raw true 2-feather sold last night on ebay for $375 plus. Lots of bidders. Grading from pix, looked like a high AU. As per Ron's book, there are 27 different dates and mints that are considered to be 2-feathers, but only 19 are the true 2-feathers with no trace of the small feather visible. Believe they are listed in latest CPG and in Ron's book, Buffalo Nickels, The Abraded Die VarietiesPCGS and probably some of the other TPGs have been attributing the ones with fragmentary feathers as 2-feathers, even though there are true 2-feathers of the same date and mint known to exist. . Personally, I collect both, but would only consider paying a substantial premium for the true 2F coins.

ricko

They do command higher prices in better grades....Not a variety that interests me though.... I have one that has a really faint feather, in a 2x2.... I do not see the feather in your picture....Cheers, RickO

jesbroken

I have Ron's book and he has graciously sent me the updated value pages. This coin appears to be the actual 2 feather variety as I have been told.
Jim

BuffaloIronTail

For any serious Buffalo Nickel collector "The Authoritative Reference on Buffalo Nickels (Second Edition)" is a must have.

The book provides data and knowledge found no where else.

Pete

PTVETTER

I have a 1916 in a PCGS MS64
Since I do not collect these, I have no idea how rare or common they are!

koynekwest

The 1916 is the most common date and is sometimes found in the higher MS ranges but is still a nice find in that condition.

jesbroken

I'm sorry Ron, mine is a 1918 not 1916. It's the one I posted on the forum and you commented to me originally in regards to your update for this series.

koynekwest

The 1918 is actually is much less often seen than the 1916.

ernie11

Does Ron's book give diagnostics by date/mintmark on true 2 Feathers? Reason I ask is that I assumed my 1915-D was NOT a real 2 Feathers because I had submitted it to ANACS and they wouldn't attribute it as such. Yet when I look at some images of the 1915-D in the PCGS set registry, I see faint traces of a feather very similar to mine.

jesbroken

Here is a copy of the 1915-D Page from my copy of Ron's Abraded Die Varieties. It lists several die cracks with pics. Read the Observations paragraph regarding tiny remnant of a feather.
Hope this helps.
Jim

ernie11

@jesbroken said:
Here is a copy of the 1915-D Page from my copy of Ron's Abraded Die Varieties. It lists several die cracks with pics. Read the Observations paragraph regarding tiny remnant of a feather.
Hope this helps.
Jim

Thank you very much, now I gotta get this coin out of my safe deposit box and look it over closely.

ad4400

1918 is a better date. Hard to tell from the image whether there is a remnant or not, but looks good best I can tell. I had a 1918 on BST for a while, I'd guess VF, but no interest even at well below auction results of slabbed examples. Just sent it to Great Collections for grading/attribution/consignment. Lets see what the cat drags in...

ernie11

@ernie11 said:

@jesbroken said:
Here is a copy of the 1915-D Page from my copy of Ron's Abraded Die Varieties. It lists several die cracks with pics. Read the Observations paragraph regarding tiny remnant of a feather.
Hope this helps.
Jim

Thank you very much, now I gotta get this coin out of my safe deposit box and look it over closely.

Finally got my Buff out of the safe deposit box, unfortunately, it exhibits none of the abovementioned die cracks.