Introducing Devil Beard


By Chris Dempsey LM 64

In May of 2012, the first example of this coin, on a 1916 host coin, came up for sale on eBay and I was the lucky winner for $230. Before the auction ended, however, I had already matched the coin to the example on a 1914 host coin, which was sold in a previous Heritage multi-coin auction lot.

The third coin, on a 1913 host coin, came the following morning while discussing the match with Art DelFavero over the phone. After locating what I thought was a match from the 1999 OHNS auction, Art tripped over the third coin while searching for a better photo of the coin I was actually looking for. I chose the name "Devil Beard" because all known examples have a beard that comes to a point on the chin, resembling the stereotypical depiction of the Devil's beard.

Click to view enlargment. Click to view enlargment. Click to view enlargment.

The carving characteristics for "Devil Beard" are as follows:

  1. Date and liberty left intact.
  2. Unaltered profile.
  3. Plain collar that stops at jaw line.
  4. Short, densely packed curved cuts comprise beard.
  5. Domed derby with a simple, straight hat brim and ribbon.
  6. Ribbon is comprised of an open-faced, left facing "V" and three vertical cut lines.
  7. Ear resembles a backwards question mark with the center hollowed out.
  8. Carved on early date Indian head nickels.