If you collect Buffalo nickels and are searching for the series’ two doubled dies, be advised that you probably won’t find them in rolls or pocket change, although it still is possible.
If you find one, you will have a valuable coin.
The 1916 DDO retails for thousands, even in Good 6, and astronomically more in Fine 12 and above. Only about 200 are thought to exist.
The 1935 DDR retails for about $300 in VF30 and rises into the thousands in AU and low mint state condition. Only about 300 are thought to exist.
1916 DDO
The 1916 Doubled Die Buffalo nickel is one of the hobby’s most coveted doubled die varieties. As you can see, the doubling is prominent in the date.
Never buy a raw 1916 DDO because they are mostly counterfeit or misattributed. See this eBay example that purports to be an NGC details graded coin.
The scam seller is counting on a few things here. Buyers do not know how to grade and look up certification numbers.
If you go to NGC to verify link and input the cert there, you get this coin:
Without even a closeup comparison, you can see immediately that the scam seller is using a details grade from NGC to deceive novice buyers. But let’s compare here.
Never bid on or buy a raw rarity because of the prevalence of counterfeit and misidentified coins.
1935 DDR
In many respects, the 1935 doubled die reverse is as scarce as the 1916 DDO. The price discrepancy does not involve the scarcity but the prominence of the doubling. The reverse doubling on this DDR is faint or non-recognizable in low grade examples. You will need a loupe or coin microscope to recognize the diagnostics.
See the arrows pointing to the most doubled letters in the above denomination.
Once again, never buy this coin raw or bid on an uncertified lot in eBay. The scammer below does not even realize that he is showing a 1935-S nickel with no doubling, billing it as the 1935 DDR.
That lot is not almost uncirculated but very fine. He wants $1,000 for a $15 coin.
Also, many sellers see machine doubling or worn die examples, calling them 1935 DDR. Here’s a worn coin and die example:
Note the faint machine doubling on the top of “Cents” as well as no doubling on the bottom of the “E’s,” “N” and “S” of “Cents.”
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