The 1921 and 1921-S Buffalo Nickels are 1 Year Type Coins
BuffaloIronTail
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The Mint decided to spruce up Buffalo Nickels from 1921. But they did it for only one year.
David Lange had this to say:
The knot on Iron Tail is so detailed that even coins without dates need not be Nic-a-Dated due to their uniquely engraved sharpness.
Check out the image and note the serifs on the ones in the date and the detailed knot:
1921 is one of my favorite Buffalo Nickel years (for obvious reasons).
Pete
"I tell them there's no problems.....only solutions" - John Lennon
11
Comments
Always looking for an excuse to expand my type set. Thank you.
It is too bad they only used them for one year, it was a nice improvement.
That sounds more like a variety than a type coin.
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
Astute observation . . . and fun!
Drunner
Beautiful coin @BuffaloIronTail!
God comes first in everything I do. I’m dedicated to serving Him with my whole life. Coin collecting is just a hobby—but even in that, I seek to honor Him. ✝️
The 1921 SLQ's are also unique.
What about 1920 Buffalo nickels - isn't there a one-year variation in the ribbon that comes down from the knot? 🤔
See also this 2006 thread that was resurrected in 2020:
"The 1921 Buffalo Nickel: A one year type coin."
https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/comment/5243283
Yes, above images from @Omegaraptor in a Dateless Buffalo Nickels thread
https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/1002544/dateless-buffalo-nickels
I have seen better photos here, but they are not easy to find.
There was a thread where we discussed the fact that the width of the date on the Buffalo nickels varied from year to year with the cumulative width of the four digits, and how the shape of the ribbon to the right of the date was sometimes tweaked to accommodate this.
I would guess that while the Engraver was creating the 1921 nickel obverse Master Die he decided to tweak a few other things.
The short 1921 date gave him the room to add serifs on the 1’s. They were probably deleted on the 1922 obverse dies made for all three Mints but never used.
BTW, in February of 1922 the Denver Mint was preparing to begin striking 1922-D nickels, and even ordered more 1922 nickel obverses from Philadelphia, but by the end of that month the newly redesigned Peace Dollar dies were ready so it never happened. Roger Burdette found this order while helping with Mint correspondence for my book on the 1922-D Cents.
All that work to create 1922 Buffs.
All for nothing.
Pete
In my book I explain how each Mint got "Contingency Dies" at the start of each year for all minor denominations just in case they needed. them. In 1922 it paid off, as Denver was able to begin striking Cents on the first working day instead of having to wait for Philadelphia to send them some dies they could use.
How about a thread showing a year-by-year set of matching shots covering the date up to the knot, which would also show the differences in the ribbons to the right of the date.