 1937 Reeded Edge. Very Choice Brilliant Uncirculated. Bright and lustrous, with sharp and precisely imparted reeding around the entire edge. The late Walter Breen noted that these Reeded Edge Buffalo nickels made their debut at the 1941 American Numismatic Association convention in Philadelphia. It was believed that 100 or 104 were made for that event, along with Reeded Edge Lincoln Cents of the same date. Breen states that ''despite reports at the time that the Mint had issued them with reeded edges,'' these coins were produced solely for the profit of private parties. The most probable creator was Philadelphia insider-dealer Ira Reed, last of the long line of professional numismatists with intimate links to the Mint leadership, which included William Idler, Captain John Haseltine and Stephen K. Nagy.
These do not turn up regularly, and the mystery of their origin continues to fascinate American collectors. Historically, reeding was applied to precious metal coins to prevent clipping and shaving by thieves who removed unobtrusive amounts of silver or gold, and returned the coins to circulation. The 1937 Nickels and Cents, however, were reeded to create a collectible variety rather than to protect the circulating coinage.
| |
|
