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Sale 80
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Lot 240
1916. Doubled Die Obverse. PCGS graded AU-55 PQ. CAC Approved. Nice bold strike with light even toning. Looks Mint State. Because all dies of this design were completely hubbed except for mintmarks, varieties come from hubbing accidents or mintmark repunching or overpunching, with one outstanding exception (the 1937-D 3-leg). Hubbing accidents produced such extraordinary anomalies as the 1916 doubled die (from the same process that produced the similarly famous 1955 doubled die cents). Minor doubling, often at the Indian’s profile or date, exist for many dates, but only this famous 1916 has such a major doubling; others have mostly remained overlooked and without the popularity.
A Heritage sale from 2009 of a Mint State 64 1916 Doubled Die, provides the best description of the doubling that we have read: "In the case of the 1916 Doubled Die Obverse nickel, that pivot point is somewhere between 1 and 2 o'clock on the obverse, within the letters of LIBERTY. As a consequence, that word shows no doubling to the unaided eye, being too close to the pivot to show anything but a microscopic spread. Moving away from that particular area, however, doubling is widespread across the rest of the devices, from a small shift visible at the Indian's brow and lips (most examples show doubling below the nose as well, though this piece does not, likely due to die polishing), to more dramatic doubling on the feathers and braid. The most dramatic doubling of all appears directly across from the pivot point; happily for this variety, that area contains the digits of the date and the lower hair ribbons, both of which exhibit the characteristically bold doubling that has attracted collectors since the variety became widely publicized in the mid- to late 1970s. Wexler et al. note that the 1916 Doubled Die Obverse variety ‘… actually has a wider spread on the date than the 1955 Lincoln cent doubled die obverse.’"
Engraver Charles Barber modified the design in 1916. Coins of 1916-38 could almost be called as "Type III": LIBERTY is from this time forth much sharper, the Indian's nose longer, and many other details have again been changed after the major improvement in 1913 with the Type 2. Yet this failed to help striking quality; resistance to circulation wear was still worse, the dates becoming quickly illegible. (Some mintmarked nickels 1918-35 are virtually unknown well struck.) The 1916 Doubled Die Obverse is one of two key coins in the series. Uncirculated survivors are all but unobtainable without a loan on your vacation castle in the Swiss Alps! An About Uncirculated, however, is just the ticket for a high-end Buffalo Nickel set. This remarkable coin has enough mint luster so that nobody will argue with the conservative grade. Pop 21; 10 finer, 4 in 58, 2 in 62, 1 in 63, 3 in 64 (PCGS # 3931) .
Estimated Value $30,000-UP.
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| Realized $36,425 |
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