1916 Buffalo Nickel. FS-101. Doubled Die Obverse. EF-40 (PCGS). CAC.This is a handsome, fully original example of an eagerly sought Buffalo nickel variety. Otherwise medium gray surfaces reveal glints of pale olive and, on the obverse, a few streaks of light russet. Overall detail remains bold in the absence of all but light wear, the date sharp with the all-important doubling readily evident both there and at the tips of the Native Americans feathers. Blemish free for the assigned grade with much to recommend it to both advanced Buffalo nickel collectors and variety specialists.The rarity of this issue in all grades is attributed to the considerable time that elapsed between its creation and its discovery by collectors. The first published report of the 1916 Doubled Die Obverse appeared in the July 1962 edition of The Numismatic Scrapbook Magazine, and even then it was not until the mid-1970s that most collectors took notice. Since then it has become known as the rarest blundered die variety in the Buffalo nickel series, handily eclipsing the 1918/7-D and, especially, the popular 1937-D 3-Legged. Estimates on the number of survivors range from a couple of hundred to perhaps 400 examples, the vast majority of which are in lower circulated grades. Clearly after several decades of diligent searching numismatists have discovered few examples of this variety, particularly in EF and higher grades. Astute bidders are sure to compete vigorously for the chance to acquire this significant rarity.
