I got a box of 2005-P Buffalo nickels and thought I'd try to find a Speared Buffalo. I looked through 10 rolls and didn't find any of those, but I did find two varieties. One has a die break running from the lip to the bottom edge of the coin. I guess you could describe it as a spiked chin. The other variety has a cud in the top if the "N" in the motto. I have found over a dozen each of these identical coins. My questions: are they actual varieties and are they worth keeping? What kinda things do you look for in varieties, besides Doubled Dies & Repunched Mint Marks? Thank you. (I don't visit here enough, but this is such a cool forum!)
You won't find RPMs in the new coins as the mint changed the manufacturing method some years ago. And a doubled die error is supposed to be impossible as well according to the mint. There are some who dispute this however. As for die cracks, cuds and the like - yes you can find them. Yes they are collectible. But with very few exceptions they are seldom very valuable.
Well what should I do with these? I have several with a cud in the "N" and several with a die crack on the chin. Here's pics of them: http://www.freeimagehosting.ws/images/murpht/dsc00866.jpg http://www.freeimagehosting.ws/images/murpht/dsc00870.jpg
I have seen people use the term CUD for raised bits on the design. Are these not die chips? CUDs are die cracks that actualy case a bit of the die to move (retained) or fall away right? I have only found one CUD by this definition (a 1976 Kennedy and I actualy found it in the CUD book). Recently found a large die chip on a dime (say 3 times bigger than the mint mark under the neck). I found a die chip like you show in a state quarter. On the other side was a larger die chip that filled a letter O. I found the die chip on one side in some coins and on both side on others. So some were minted before the die broke or after it was replaced. I was calling this a temporal error series and had plans to make a fortune .
NeillC, I hope you got your asking price for them. I ahve put some of mine up for auction on eBay. You can check on their progress if you look for 2005-P Buffalo Nickel - Spiked Chin Variety (and Cud "N" Variety). This is not much of an attempt at making money as it is an experiment to see what will sell and what won't. In searching through 8 rolls, I found 9 Siked Chins and 29 Cud "N" Varieties. I have two unsearched rolls that I could put up, but I sold 40 rolls to a customer of mine. I hope these sell for his sake.
