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 Replies: 13 / Views: 1,107 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
549 Posts |
Just as I'm finally starting to learn a little about Lincolns and Indian Heads, I got about 30 free silver dimes and nickels. Four of the nickels are buffalos. One is supposedly 1923, but the date is so worn that I have no clue how anybody even determined that. The other three are pictured below. I don't know what to make of these. The one on the right seems to have the best detail, but it's a very dull silver. The other two are shinier, but lack detail (especially the one on the far left). Are these two plated like the "fake" 1943 pennies? And I'm assuming that plating will render them worthless?   And one last question...are the "squished" F (in "five") and S (in "cents") normal wear for Buffalo nickels or is something weird going on there? |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2443 Posts |
The two nickels on your left weren't plated, they were polished.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
549 Posts |
So the one on the right is the only one worth keeping?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2443 Posts |
Pretty much. If you like the other two then keep them.
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Valued Member
United States
374 Posts |
The old buff job on the buffalo. I bought some coins on ebay when they first opened. There wwas a Barber quarter just like your shiny nickels. You didnt pay anything for them so you dont have to worry keep them. Also they is a way to use some acid to reveal the date on your coin. But I'm not familair on how to do it. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
6326 Posts |
Just making sure that you know.......No Buffalo nickels are silver. And I collect Buffalo's as long as I can read the date (even just barely with a mag glass and light) Of course through enough years of buying "lots" I've ended up with a couple handfulls that are a generic "no date" Buffalo nickel. They are still collectable and worth a little, just not desirable or valuable. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
549 Posts |
Sorry about that...I know they aren't silver. I was using the term to describe the color, but I wasn't thinking about the confusion it would cause in a coin collector's forum. I did get 8 silver nickels along with these buffalos though!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2797 Posts |
quote:
And one last question...are the "squished" F (in "five") and S (in "cents") normal wear for Buffalo nickels or is something weird going on there?
Quick answer ... yes. The design is somewhat concave and those two devices stand the highest and receive the most wear. |
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New Member
United States
37 Posts |
Too bad that 1937 is not a 1937-D 3 legged huh? LOL. I got to see one of those yesterday.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
They do appear to have been polished. If so that is really bad. If just cleaned with something to make them shine, eventually they will tone down if left in the open. If polished with something that left a coating on them, it is almost like polishing your car. Stays a long, long time. Really ruins the coins. However, if you didn't pay for them, so what. Keep them.
Probably done a long time ago when cleaning, polishing and even scrubbing coins to make them look pretty was in style.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
549 Posts |
If I dip the polished coins in acetone will it help or just make things worse?
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New Member
United States
37 Posts |
I have seen more buffalos than any other coin where you cannot read the date
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
12437 Posts |
quote:
If I dip the polished coins in acetone will it help or just make things worse?
Acetone won't do anything to them- once polished, they are that way to stay unless you want to make them into pocket pieces to rough 'em up a bit again. |
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Valued Member
United States
226 Posts |
Buffalo nickels are one of the harder series to grade as weak strikes are common and can look fine when they are actually very fine or even extremely fine. If you truly want to collect Buffalo nickels I strongly suggest reading all you can and examine lots of coins at your local coin shop.
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Replies: 13 / Views: 1,107 |
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Posted 01/18/2008 12:12 am
