sooo why is the 1913 Liberty Head "V" nickel so rare to come by? there should be thousands out in the world right? Either way, I'm going in my backyard and do some metal detecting for one, LOL!
It was never supposed to be made - the Buffalo was the 1913 5c piece. A few - 5? - slipped through the mint doors, likely made by mint employees to be more or less novelty pieces. Most of the 1913 Liberty coins are shrouded in mystery too, only adding to the value.
Most likely a mint employee illegally used a die that was never supposed to be used to make a "rarity" to sell to a nearby dealer. Supposedly only five were struck. I consider them to not be a "coin" at all, but a fantasy piece. To be a coin it must legally have been struck and issued by a government. The 1913 LH nickel was neither legally struck nor legally issued. Therefore, to me its not a coin at all. Same shenanigans still happen. How do you think most mint errors leave the mint? Most are smuggled out by greedy mint employees, at least the dramatic ones.
The mint was informed in early December 1912 that there would be no liberty head nickels struck in 1913 and that they should do nothing about nickel production until the Indian head design was approved. So no 1913 V nickels should ever have been struck.