DC-5c-1935-01 Die Chip

Description

Cataloged by Cuds on Coins, DC-5c-1935-01 records a die chip variety on the 1935 Buffalo Nickel — a minor die break where a small piece of the die surface broke away, leaving a void that filled with metal during striking to produce a raised bump on the finished coin. Die chips represent the smallest category of die breaks, falling below cuds (rim fractures) and interior die breaks in scale, yet they remain collectible because each documents a unique failure point in a specific working die. The 1935 Buffalo Nickel was struck at Philadelphia during the penultimate era of James Earle Fraser's iconic design, which would end production in 1938 after a quarter century. Fraser's composite Native American portrait and American bison created one of the most artistically celebrated coin designs in U.S. history, but the high-relief elements also imposed significant stress on working dies. No known cross-references to other attribution systems have been identified for this variety. The 1935 date falls during the Great Depression, when mintages had recovered from their early-1930s lows but remained well below the peak output of the 1920s. Die chips on Buffalo Nickels attract collectors who appreciate the intersection of Fraser's sculptural design with the mechanical realities of high-volume coin production.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Dr
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References