An overdate coin has a digit of one date punched atop the digit of another year. An over mintmark features the letter of one coin punched over a different letter. A repunched mintmark is the same mintmark punched twice or more. These errors occur when Mint employees try to reuse a die or correct a die from a previous year. This can happen accidentally or intentionally.
Overdates typically are more valuable than over mintmarks and repunched mintmarks, as we illustrate with these Buffalo nickels:
1914/3
1918/7-D
1938 D/S
1938 D/D
Let’s take a closer at the diagnostics of these varieties, along with their rarities and retail values.
1914/3
The 1914/3 Nickel was caused when a 1913 dated master die was repunched with a 1914 dated hub. You should see evidence a different die with doubling on the digits of the date with a clear top of the 3 over the 4. See the example below from PCGS CoinFacts:
Values are a $1,000+ for almost uncirculated examples and thousands more for low mint state.
1918/7-D
This variety was discovered in 1930 and is considered one of the most coveted overdates of any U.S. coin. The “7” shows at the top of the “8” through the first circle of the “8” and extending downward to the second circle.
Values are high because the coin is in demand. In Good through Fine, examples retail in the hundreds to a thousand or more. In Extra Fine, the price soars into the several thousands. Higher condition coins range from $10,000 to $40,000 in low mint state.
1938-D/S
The 1938-D/S Buffalo nickel, discovered in 1961, is not rare, and can be found in pocket change and bank rolls. No Buffalo nickels were minted in San Francisco that year, so dies were repunched at the Denver mint, resulting in the variety.
You will want to find or buy examples of this over mintmark in gem MS65 or super gem MS66+, retailing for less than $300.
1938-D/D
The 1938-D/D Buffalo Nickel is a common RPM mintmark variety showing doubling for being punched twice.
This is one of the most popular and easy to find or buy varieties in the Buffalo nickel series. You can easily find these in bank rolls or buy them in gem MS65 for $50 or even super gem MS67 for less than $500.
If you like posts like this, please subscribe so you can get be informed whenever there is a new article or column.
Proxiblog also has thousands of followers on Facebook Coin Groups, YouTube and social media. To get the latest discussion and commentary, be sure to friend us by clicking here.
You can find more information about errors and varieties as well as buying and bidding on coins in Coin News Updated: The Essential Guide to Online Bidding. Please consider purchasing the work for yourself or a friend, as it underwrites this hobbyist website. Thank you.
