Lot 1093
1937-D. 3 legs. NGC graded MS-64. Well struck with lovely golden toning on both sides. A satiny specimen close to gem level which displays strong fundamental luster. Nicely struck, though not totally, a normal occurrence with 3-Legs Buffalo nickels - still, close enough to full that special mention is merited. Indeed, the strike of the present coin easily rivals that of the few higher grade examples we have seen.
This die-polishing variety was the first of its kind to capture the imagination of collectors. Discovered soon after its issue, 1937-D 3-leg nickels were advertised for sale in an ad in The Numismatic Scrapbook Magazine as early as 1937-38. The variety was caused by excessive polishing of the dies to remove clash marks. Die clash occurs when the feeder mechanism of a coin press fails to deliver a planchet, the dies strike one another, and each receives an impression of the opposing die. This disfigurement, when discovered, usually results in the replacement of both dies. In the case of the 1937-D 3-leg nickel, however, the urgency of completing a coinage run precluded this customary practice, and a swifter solution was sought. Very few Uncirculated examples are known, coin collectors being equally scarce in that part of the country, it seems. (For a more detailed account of this popular variety, see David W. Lange’s The Complete Guide to Buffalo Nickels.).
Estimated Value $4,200 - 4,400.
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| Realized $6,325 |
