Thread: Is this a 3 leg 1937-D buffalo nickel?

I believe this is a genuine coin. The part of the leg that is missing varies slightly from pictures I have seen of the real thing. Is this a genuine example of a 3 leg 1937-D buffalo nickel?

I don't have a close-up of mine, but that looks removed to me

yeah, i can't see that very well but I have seen the picture in the Cherry Picker's guide and looked at examples online.

Reeks of a fake to me.

There is a very good thread here somewhere, but I can't seem to find it very quickly. It has some great pics of real & fakes of the 3 legger.

EDIT:

Try this thread... >>>> Coin buying education 101-3 [new 7/31]

If they still made that design coin today it would have no legs at all.Our money today dosent have a leg to stand on..Your coin was at a time when our money just needed proping up it could stand almost on its own.

Yep I agree it seems to be a fake.

The obscured details and odd rim seperations make me lean towards thinking it's fake, but to be sure, have it checked out my your local coin dealer or a well-respected senior collector in your area. Seeing the coin in-hand makes all the difference.

-Brian

The obverse of the 3-legged buffalo also had some significant markers, along with the reverse. Fakes usually concentrate on the reverse and not the obverse. All markers have to be present
--arrows:

1. Notice the forehead of the Indian
2. The separation of the second feather ( this occurs in other non-3L also)
3. Rough area at back of neck
4. Rough area in front of braid
5. Die break ( bottom arrow)



I forget if I included this photo in Coin Ed 103 thread but notice how the top of the hoof is like an elongated triangle, whereas most fakes are straight. Also the stream of "pee" is in the wrong position.

not just a removed leg, the entire coin is fake

No way is it real. I usually look at the bison's back leg, it has a skinny, moth-eaten appearance on the real deal. And the obverse die crack is missing. There are tons of markers on both sides that are missing. From a Heritage writeup a few years ago, an MS66 PCGS that sold for more than $80,000:

"Just a single pair of dies was used to strike this variety. Among the many key diagnostics to look for on a genuine coin are these:

Obverse: Rust pits, flaws, and die crack. Although few of the references mention it, this issue always shows patches of roughness on the obverse, apparently created from die rust. One patch is on the top of the Indian's neck, just below the juncture with the hair. Another shows to the left of the longest feather about midway down, in the hair. Other patches are just above the obverse rim at 6 o'clock, and on the front of the neck, beneath the jawline. A small die crack runs southeast through this patch, with a small, comma-shaped lump near its lowest point.
Reverse: Beard, hoof and leg, die lumps, spindly rear leg. The reverse of a genuine 1937-D Three-Legged Buffalo also has numerous diagnostics that are easy to spot. The buffalo's beard is pointed, and longer on the right (facing) side than the left. Although a Mint employee removed the front leg with an emery board, the hoof is still present. There is a stream of raised die lumps running downward between the front and rear legs. The rear right leg of the buffalo has a spindly, sickly look, as does the hoof on the other rear leg. The overall buffalo is a bit smaller than normal, and there are heavy metal flow lines at various points."

Looks to be a genuine fake to me also. The removed leg looks too cleanly cut out to fool anyone. Do you see my daughter's initials on there? Because I'm pretty sure she could do something like this. Sorry to be so harsh, hope you didn't have to pay anything substantial for it.

Originally Posted by kookoox10

Looks to be a genuine fake to me also. The removed leg looks too cleanly cut out to fool anyone. Do you see my daughter's initials on there? Because I'm pretty sure she could do something like this. Sorry to be so harsh, hope you didn't have to pay anything substantial for it.

Agreed. 100% fake coin.

If you did buy it from a coin dealer, take it back and get your money back. Most legit coin dealers will give you money back if they sell you a fake.

Fake, without a doubt.

I actually did NOT buy it. Some one is selling it for $30 on eBay as a regular 1937-D. I thought I cherry picked a 3 legged. Now that I have decided not to purchase it, the eBay link is below. Thank you so much for all your help.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1937-D-UNC-INDIAN-HEAD-BUFFALO-NICKEL-HIGH-GRADE-UNC-DETAILS-FULL-MINT-LUSTER-/360410018821?_trksid=p5197.m7&_trkparms=algo%3DLVI %26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D4%26po%3DLVI%26ps%3D63%26clki d%3D4294418173528477835