Options
Buffalo Nickel 2 Feathers question
ernie11
Posts: 2,109 ✭✭✭✭✭
With regard to the Buffalo Nickel 2 Feathers varieties, do the various TPG's authenticate these differently? Reason I ask is a couple years ago I submitted a 1915-D Buff to ANACS and they would not authenticate it as a Two Feather variety because there was a very small trace of a 3rd feather remaining. But I recently saw a 1915-D Buff Two Feathers on Heritage Auctions archives that was sold in January 2015, and it was noted by PCGS as a Two Feathers. Yet it had the same small trace of a 3rd feather that my specimen has.
0
Comments
I'm not an expert on this variety (Ron Pope should be along within the next 24 hours), but it seems that if the date is known to have an example of a true 2-feather, then anything less is unacceptable. But if the best examples of a particular date are known to have just a faint third feather, then these are designated as 2-feather varieties. Although many collectors are opposed to this idea, I'm okay with it.
There have been several postings here recently about PCGS slabbed coins similar to the one you described receiving the 2-feathers designation and attracting 4-figure bids at auction.
According to Ron Pope, there are 27 date/mm combinations for 2-feathers, 17 of which are true 2-feathers with no trace of the third feather, and the rest show some trace of the feather, but so little that they qualify. There are also some dates where both types exist.
Personally as a collector, I would not pay a premium price for the latter category of a date/mm where "true" coins are known. Its my thought that the increasing popularity of the variety is the reason for the situation you described.
Link
There is a different die that shows no feather at all for this date. However, this is an example that is slabbed as a 2F (2 feather) that I would not consider to be the variety. I've seen this in both ANACS and PCGS slabs. As both John and Chris have stated there are 17 dates/Mints listed in my book that show a complete absence of the feather-if I were still collecting these those are the ones I would stick to. That's just me, tho.