Lot 963
1918/7-D Buffalo Nickel. PCGS graded AU-55. Very well struck with a particularly strong obverse. A lustrous example. The nickels from the overdated 1918 die were a feature of the hurried wartime conditions at the nation's mints. The demand for coinage was larger than normal during World War I (1914-18), which forced the Engraving Department at the Philadelphia Mint to neglect quality control procedures; this allowed for what became a famous 20th century overdate. Working dies were prepared for both 1917 and 1918-dated nickels at the end of 1917. The Mint in Philadelphia, where the dies are made, took a 1917-dated obverse die and gave it a second blow from a 1918-dated hub in the die-making process. This overdated die was supplied with a D mintmark and put into use in Denver. An unknown (but small) mintage of coins issued from this single die pairing. The overdate 1918-D wasn't discovered years after, the first auction appearance not being until 1931. This may be the main reason why surviving examples grade only Very Good to Fine. About Uncirculated pieces are rare (PCGS # 3939) .
Estimated Value $16,000 - 18,000.
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