1918-S Atypical Die Clash ADC-5C-1918S-01

Description

Cataloged by MadDieClashes as ADC-5c-1918S-01, this 1918 San Francisco Buffalo Nickel exhibits a strong obverse die clash with multiple transferred design elements. Over half the letters from PLURIBUS are easily identified beneath the chin of the Native American portrait, demonstrating the depth of the clash impression. A portion of the buffalo's neck appears clashed into the field below the half feather, and a clash mark from the back leg of the buffalo is visible just to the right of the portrait's brow. These three transferred elements — reverse lettering, buffalo neck, and buffalo leg — each appear in different obverse areas, mapping the spatial relationship between the dies at the moment of contact without a planchet. James Earle Fraser's iconic design, with its high-relief portrait and standing bison, produces particularly dramatic clash patterns because both sides carry bold, deeply sculpted elements that transfer with unusual clarity. The 1918-S was struck at San Francisco during World War I, and atypical clashes on Buffalo Nickels from this era are prized for their visual impact.

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