In Spring of 2009 PCGS created their “Complete Variety Set” of Buffalo Nickels. This set includes 46 varieties from the CherryPickers’ Guide (CPG) that are not in their current “Major Varieties Set”. These 46 varieties will be our focus. They are less well-known than the major varieties. Our narrow focus will allow us to explore each variety in depth and perhaps make them a little better known and appreciated. While less well-known, some are quite impressive. Most of the Two Feather (2F) and Missing Initial (MI or NF for No F, F being the initial for the designer – Fraser) varieties are “naked eye” visible. They have a substantial “empty” space where a feature is supposed to be present. This is easy to see and noteworthy. Some of the doubled dies have large spreads and/or doubling in multiple places, like the 1917 FS-801, 1935-s FS-801, and multiple examples from 1930 and 1936. And the 1915-d, 1935-d, 1936-s and 1936-d Re-Punched Mint marks are easily the equal or superior of the 1938-d RPM. Some of these Lesser Known varieties are very impressive. However, most of them are very difficult to purchase because they have very low PCGS populations.[i] Importantly for our purposes, most of these Lesser Known varieties are still available unattributed on the Web, if you look very carefully. Finding them unattributed may be the only way to make progress on PCGS’ “Complete Variety Set” at this time.
I have found 36 of these 46 Lesser Known varieties unattributed on the Web, 29 of which have been attributed by PCGS [ii]. For these I have first hand knowledge of what to look for in Web images. I own all but two of the other Lesser Known varieties and will use the coins I own to describe the features I search for. The other two coins are still on my list to find, but have PCGS populations of zero. For these, I’ll let you know what features I’m looking for.
For each of these 46 Lesser Known varieties, I’ll describe the special features of that variety as well as “clues” that seem to occur on coins with the variety. I discovered when I started collecting varieties in another series that just looking at pictures often is not sufficient, even if you know the “pick up point”. Sometimes the variety was “right there”, but I just couldn’t see it. I will make extensive use of images with notations in order to highlight and clarify the important features. I hope my words and multiple pictures will guide you to the right part of the coin and show you how it differs from the non-variety coin. Of course, if you have the opportunity to see and hold one of these varieties in your own hand, do it. Being able to view the coin from multiple angles and the transition from one position to the next is of great value in detecting a variety. You’ll have a better idea what to look for when you only have a two dimensional Web image on your screen.
[i] The populations of the Major Varieties are much higher than for the Lesser Known varieties. Of the Major Varieties, the PCGS population is the smallest for the 1916 DDO, 1936-d 3HL and 1935 DDR, each of which has a population between 100 and about 200. The PCGS population for each of the 1918/7-d, 1937-d 3L, 1938-d/d and 1938-d/s is over 1000. All of the Lesser Known Varieties have a population of less than 100, only four have a population over 25, while 34 have a population of 10 or less. Of course, the PCGS population should not be used as a surrogate for rarity in this case. People have been looking for the Major Varieties for years (and having them graded and attributed by PCGS if their value warrants). The Lesser Known Varieties have not been sought nor attributed by PCGS for near as long. The Lesser Known Varieties are less available attributed by PCGS but they may or may not be rarer.
[ii] Some of the varieties I have found have not been submitted for attribution because I already owned an attributed one that was of a higher grade. Others have been cleaned and I have been wise enough not to submit them (although I have not always been so wise). One 1917 I believe is an FS-802 but PCGS is unable to “confirm” – I’ll show you some images of it in time. Not yet counted as attributed by PCGS is a 1929 which I believe is the DDO, FS-101, and perhaps a 1913 Type I 3HL, FS-901. I have only recently submitted them to PCGS for attribution.