1938 (D) Buffalo Nickel - D/S

Coin Details

Auction Record

Description

This is the D/S over mint mark on the 1938-D Buffalo Nickel, where a D was punched over an existing S. Dies were prepared with a mint mark before they were sent out, and when demand shifted a die already marked for San Francisco could be reassigned to Denver. Rather than scrap it, the receiving mint punched its own letter over the one already there. Traces of the S survive wherever its shape falls outside the D that covers it, so the diagnostic is the geometry of the two letters rather than doubling as such. Unlike a repunched mint mark, which shows one letter struck twice, an over mint mark shows two different letterforms occupying the same place. The 1938 (D) Buffalo Nickel - D/S is a nickel from the Denver Mint, belonging to the Buffalo Nickels 1913-1938 series. The obverse features a Native American portrait that James Earle Fraser described as a composite of several chiefs, including Iron Tail (Lakota) and Two Moons (Cheyenne), and the reverse displays an American bison, traditionally identified as Black Diamond of New York's Central Park menagerie, standing on flat ground. Struck during the Great Depression, when mintages dropped sharply and the United States abandoned the gold standard in 1933. The Denver Mint, which grew from an 1860s gold rush assay office, has served as a major production facility since 1906. Estimated market value ranges from $12 to $25K depending on grade and condition. Struck in 75% copper, 25% nickel, weighing 5 grams, 21.2 mm in diameter, with a plain edge. Cataloged as PCGS #3985.

Cross References

FS-511