1915 Buffalo Nickel. FS-401. Two Feathers. MS-63 (PCGS).

A heavily satiny example with pearlescent silver surfaces and a subtle golden iridescence to each side. Untroubled by notable blemishes and featuring considerable die polishing throughout the fields. The Two Feathers varieties of Buffalo nickels are an interesting subset in that examples can be found in a surprising number of issues throughout the series. Of the same fabric as the famed 1937-D 3-Legged nickel, the Two Feathers anomalies are borne out of enthusiastic polishing of the obverse die. This dramatic refurbishing largely eliminated the small, innermost feather of the Indian's headdress, sometimes even removing sculptor James Earle Fraser's initial beneath the date, as well. Because this variety is representative of a die state and not tethered to a particular die pair, date, or even issuing Mint, there are numerous opportunities for coins with this deficiency to have been struck. While the most recent Cherrypickers' Guide (Sixth Edition, Volume I, 2015) recognizes 27 Two Feather varieties, up from just 14 varieties in the previous edition (Fifth Edition, Volume I, 2009), there will undoubtedly be more Two Feather varieties discovered as collectors become aware of the feature. However, unlike the more famous hobbled Bison varieties, the Two Feathers varieties drew much less acclaim among contemporary collectors and, as a result, relatively few examples were spared from circulation and survive in Mint State like the present piece.

PCGS# 38433.

PCGS Population (FS-401 attribution only): 3; 7 finer (MS-66 finest).