1938-D Buffalo with weird head abrasions...

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Meltdown
Meltdown Posts: 9,284 ✭✭✭✭✭
edited March 7, 2026 10:44AM in U.S. Coin Forum

Curious just what is going on with the obverse. Is this a strike issue? Worn dies? There is scattered abrasion on the neck, across the hair and from the temple down below the eye then into the nose.
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  • johnny9434
    johnny9434 Posts: 34,111 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Bummer to, its a decent looking coin. It can be retracting at times

  • BillJones
    BillJones Posts: 35,938 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 7, 2026 11:14AM
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    @CaptHenway said:
    Because the Mint knew that the Jefferson Nickel was coming out soon, the Engraving Department made as few 1938 Indian Head dies as possible and overused them, causing excessive die wear.

    There enough really nice 1938-D Buffaloes to make the later die state pieces less desirable.

    I would add that the prime reason why the mint dumped the Buffalo Nickel design almost as soon as it could, just after 25 years was that it was too hard on the dies. Dies are expensive and shortened die life is a problem.

    Retired dealer and avid collector of U.S. type coins, 19th century presidential campaign medalets and selected medals. In recent years I have been working on a set of British coins - at least one coin from each king or queen who issued pieces that are collectible. I am also collecting at least one coin for each Roman emperor from Julius Caesar to ... ?
  • BuffaloIronTail
    BuffaloIronTail Posts: 7,767 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    The Buffalo Nickel had been a problem ever since it was first released in 1913. The date wear problem was never really solved after many attempts at different solutions.

    That was only one of many "headaches" the Mint got from the coin so yes, ending the series as soon as possible was the only real solution.

    My choice for a nice Buff would be the 1921 because the Mint did a one year only refresh that enhanced the knot detail on Iron Tail.

    To this day, the enhancement was so strong that dateless 1921 Buffs could be picked out and identified from all the other dates.

    Pete

    "I tell them there's no problems.....only solutions" - John Lennon
  • gashmios
    gashmios Posts: 504 ✭✭✭
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    @BuffaloIronTail said:
    The Buffalo Nickel had been a problem ever since it was first released in 1913. The date wear problem was never really solved after many attempts at different solutions.

    That was only one of many "headaches" the Mint got from the coin so yes, ending the series as soon as possible was the only real solution.

    My choice for a nice Buff would be the 1921 because the Mint did a one year only refresh that enhanced the knot detail on Iron Tail.

    To this day, the enhancement was so strong that dateless 1921 Buffs could be picked out and identified from all the other dates.

    Pete

    Why did it matter to the mint if the date wore down.

    So many immigrant groups have swept through our town that Brooklyn, like Atlantis, reaches mythological proportions in the mind of the world - RI Safir 1998
  • CaptHenway
    CaptHenway Posts: 34,175 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @mrbrklyn said:

    @BuffaloIronTail said:
    The Buffalo Nickel had been a problem ever since it was first released in 1913. The date wear problem was never really solved after many attempts at different solutions.

    That was only one of many "headaches" the Mint got from the coin so yes, ending the series as soon as possible was the only real solution.

    My choice for a nice Buff would be the 1921 because the Mint did a one year only refresh that enhanced the knot detail on Iron Tail.

    To this day, the enhancement was so strong that dateless 1921 Buffs could be picked out and identified from all the other dates.

    Pete

    Why did it matter to the mint if the date wore down.

    Made them look incompetent, I guess.

    Professional Numismatist, Retired. 55 year member ANA. Former ANA Senior Authenticator. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and ANA Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner of the PNG's 2026 Robert Friedberg Award for "The Enigmatic Lincoln Cents of 1922," Available now from Whitman or Amazon.

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