Rare 1926 Nickel Errors (List & Pictures)
On a 1926-D Buffalo nickel, part of a front leg can disappear because the die was polished too heavily. An MS66 Three-and-a-Half Legs example brought $9,400 in January 2015.
The 1926 nickel errors here span about $20–$15,000 for whole coins. Check the mint and the exact feature together, since a scarce 1926-S can be valuable even without an error.
1. 1926 Nickel Missing Leg or Feather Detail from Die Polishing Error
Polishing a die, the tool that stamps the design, can remove shallow features. The 1926-D FS-901 variety loses part of a front leg and is called Three-and-a-Half Legs.
A separate 1926-D variety, FS-401 or Two Feathers, has a weakened or missing small inner feather behind the neck. The two features are not required to appear together.
How to Identify
Find D below FIVE CENTS, then compare the affected feature with the correct 1926-D variety. A 1937-D Three Legs photograph is not a suitable match.
For FS-901, follow the front leg from its attachment toward the hoof. For FS-401, examine the small inner feather and any remaining trace beside the neck.
Broad wear softens nearby details too, while a later cut can leave a depression or scratches. The localized loss must fit the photographed die-polishing pattern.
What It’s Worth
$100–$12,000 spans both varieties, with Three-and-a-Half Legs generally occupying the higher range. A PCGS MS66 FS-901 example sold for $9,400 at Heritage in January 2015.
Two Feathers has a separate estimated range of about $100–$1,500 for circulated through attractive unworn pieces. Its estimate should not be replaced with the leg variety’s auction price.
2. 1926 Nickel Extra Lettering from a Doubled Die Error
The Philadelphia FS-101/801 combination has separated front lettering, lighter hair doubling, and slight downward doubling on the back. The extra detail was already in the stamping tools.
Other patterns differ: WDDO-001 thickens the date and LIBERTY, while DDR-001 has doubled back lettering with a small forehead crack. These descriptions belong to different examples.
How to Identify
Choose a comparison that matches the feature you see. Date thickening is not the same checklist as the paired FS-101/801 lettering.
For the paired variety, inspect LIBERTY, the upper hair, and E PLURIBUS UNUM using the CONECA front-and-back pairing. The separate DDR-001 forehead crack is only a supporting clue for that other pattern.
Check rounded repeated shapes rather than flat shelves or general wear. The back and front should each agree with the proposed identification.
What It’s Worth
$30–$5,000 covers different strengths and varieties, from slight identified thickening to a desirable paired example. A 1926 FS-101/801 graded MS65 sold for $3,120 in November 2018.
That unworn coin’s result supports the paired variety’s market. It does not give every thickened 1926 date the same premium.
3. 1926 Nickel A Tilted Extra D from a Repunched Mintmark Error
The earlier D overlaps the main mintmark at a slight angle on WRPM-001. A worker punched the letter into the die more than once, and later coins repeated the shape.
How to Identify
Examine D below FIVE CENTS against Wexler’s WRPM-001 photographs. The tilted earlier outline matters more than a swollen letter.
Supporting marks include a fine crack extending left from above the date and a line below the final A’s crossbar in AMERICA. Wear may hide those, so begin with the actual mintmark shape.
What It’s Worth
$40–$750 is the estimated range for circulated through attractive unworn examples. Strong detail without harsh cleaning supports the upper end.
A 1930-S repunched-mintmark nickel graded MS62 brought about $431 in 2011. That nearby-year comparison involves a different mintmark and is not a WRPM-001 sale record.
4. 1926 Nickel A Reported Flaw beside the Buffalo’s Head Error
A seller described one Philadelphia coin’s head-area flaw as both a cud and a lamination. Those names describe different processes, so the visible surface must decide which applies.
A cud is a raised rim-connected patch caused by a broken die edge. Lamination is a layer separating within the coin’s own metal.
How to Identify
Move a lamp across the area to determine whether it is raised, recessed, or peeling. Follow a raised patch toward the rim before calling it a cud.
Leave a thin flap untouched and look for its layer boundary. Check the neighboring surface for scraping or corrosion that could explain the feature without a mint error.
What It’s Worth
$20–$300 is a comparison-based estimate for a genuine small mint-made flaw on a circulated Philadelphia coin. A clear break or substantial peeling area can be more appealing than a faint mark.
The range does not represent a recorded sale of the advertised piece. Its cause needs to be established before applying an error premium.
5. 1926 Nickel Peeling Metal on a 1926-S Nickel Error
A 1926-S MS64 coin has been offered with a back lamination. Another description notes a slight diagonal separation across the lower back.
These flaws begin with weakness inside the metal and can leave a flap or shallow opening. They do not mean the whole nickel separated into two complete halves.
How to Identify
Inspect the thin layer boundary under low side lighting and preserve any attached metal. A gouge with pushed-up edges has a different structure.
Confirm S below FIVE CENTS and examine the rest of the surfaces before judging condition. A normal nickel began near 5 grams and 21.2 mm across, but a tiny separation may barely change its weight.
What It’s Worth
$100–$15,000 spans worn 1926-S examples through attractive MS64 pieces with this defect. Much of the value comes from the scarce date and mint beneath the flaw.
A normal 1926-S MS64 sold for $12,600 in July 2025; that was not a lamination sale. A small metal defect may reduce appeal to date collectors, so there is no fixed extra premium to add.
6. 1926 Nickel A Curved or Ragged Gap from a Clip Error
The 1926-S example has a roughly 10% ragged gap between three and five o’clock and a recorded weight near 4.5 grams. Nearby design is weak.
A different Philadelphia MS65 coin has a small curved clip at twelve o’clock. Both began with incomplete blanks, but their shapes and underlying coin values differ.
How to Identify
Match the mint and gap together, then inspect the missing section for natural flow rather than fresh saw marks. Weakness opposite the opening can provide support when visible.
Use intact spans to compare diameter and inspect the remaining plain edge for damage. A low weight confirms missing metal but cannot by itself prove when it disappeared.
What It’s Worth
$75–$3,000 covers these clipped coins, with the small Philadelphia example generally toward the lower portion according to condition. The scarce 1926-S AU58 ragged clip brought $1,860 on October 2, 2025.
AU58 indicates only slight wear. That result includes the desirable date and mint, not just payment for the missing section.
7. 1926 Nickel A Large Blank Crescent from an Off-Center Strike Error
The recorded 1926 PCGS MS63 nickel is about 40% off center with a full date. An older description places the shift toward four o’clock.
The mintmark area fell beyond the available metal. Its missing letter therefore does not identify Philadelphia, Denver, or San Francisco.
How to Identify
Read all four date digits before assigning the year. Compare both faces for design displaced beside the same unused portion of the blank.
Check the transition into bare metal for grinding or scraping. An uneven border around a complete design points toward a different striking problem.
What It’s Worth
$500–$2,500 is the estimate for a substantial off-center example with a readable 1926 date. Wear, surface damage, and the surviving design affect its position in that range.
No specific auction result is supplied for the recorded MS63 coin. Its full date is especially useful because the mint cannot be read.
Conclusion
The missing detail on a 1926 nickel needs a precise explanation: a polished-away feather, peeled metal, and an unstruck crescent are different features. Match the date, mint, and visible shape before choosing a price comparison.
Keep the scarce 1926-S coin’s ordinary value in mind. A high whole-coin result does not mean a small flaw alone accounts for the price, and fragile peeling metal is best left untouched.
