1917-S Two Feather

By Richard on March 3rd, 2011

1917-S Two Feathers FS-401 38443

I purchased the above coin raw and unattributed at a local coin dealer’s shop. It is now graded VF25 and attributed Two Feathers variety by PCGS. I have a second coin I found raw and unattributed on eBay which now is graded VF20 and attributed Two Feathers by PCGS. The two coins were struck from different dies. The VF25 coin is missing the designer’s initial F (also known as a 2FNF for Two Feather No F) while the second is not. The S mint marks also look distinctly different.

The 1917-S Two Feather can be a pure 2F. For both of these coins, the third feather is completely missing.

Die 1. 1917-S 2FNF, VF25. This is a relatively late die state coin. There are no apparent abrasion lines in the area of the missing feather and no apparent wipe lines on either side. Any such lines may have been masked by the late die state of the coin. You can see die erosion lines near the rim on both the obverse and reverse. Unlike like die abrasion lines, note how the die erosion lines are irregular, almost bumpy. In addition to the late die state, likely there was a die clash or two in the neck throat area as the features are a bit more mushy than other obverse features, including an indistinct neck.

As a result of the die clashes, the reverse die was abraded in the area of the EPU creating a very broken back.

Die 2. 1917-S 2F, VF20. This is a much earlier die state coin. There is no trace of the third feather and no abrasion lines. There was a die clash in the neck area under the chin resulting in a rough looking broken neck or perhaps broken throat would be more appropriate.There are two die cracks present on the obverse. One is before the L of LIBERTY, running from the rim toward the Indian’s forehead. The other is less prominent and runs from the rim to the Indian’s lips. Other than a strong back on the buffalo, there is little of note on the reverse.