1937-D 5C 3 Legs MS(PCGS#3982)

November 2025 Showcase Auction U.S. Coins

拍卖行

Stack's Bowers

批号

2032

等级

MS60

价格

37,543

详细说明

Satiny medium gray surfaces also reveal a tinge of light golden patina as the coin rotates under a light. Superior for the assigned grade, this piece is lustrous, well struck for this Mint error, and free of detracting blemishes. The 1937-D 3-Legged nickel is a classic American coin of the 20th century that most collectors dream of obtaining. The 3-Legged reverse is the result of an attempt to prolong the life of a die that should have been taken out of service. This variety began with a pair of dies that in the course of production clashed together without a planchet, imparting damage in particular to the reverse die. The die was pulled from service, the damage manually repaired, and the entire surface was polished. The polishing was overzealous and removed one of the front legs of the bison, making it look like it has a disembodied hoof. Normally such an overpolished die would have been removed from service, but this did not happen, likely because the Denver Mint was under pressure to produce as many nickels as possible. This was not unusual; production needs caused many Buffalo nickel dies to be used well beyond their normal service life. Indeed, this particular die also shows traces of die rust, namely a diagnostic faint string of rust marks running diagonally from the bottom of the bison to the ground.<p>The 1937-D 3-Legged nickel was discovered in circulation quickly and gained fame in <em>The Numismatic Scrapbook</em> when C.L. "Cowboy" Franzen marketed the variety heavily after cherrypicking examples from circulation. While many circulated for a brief time, most were pulled before obtaining excessive wear. Today, a solid majority of the certified specimens are found between VF and AU. On the other hand, even a solidly graded and visually pleasing BU example such as this represents a scarce find under normal market conditions.