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 Replies: 11 / Views: 1,336 |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
19931 Posts |
Just curious, I've seen people reference the increasing price of them. Can somebody give me an explaination of what's been going on with the Buffalo market for the past few years? And possibly what the future may hold for them.
Thanks
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1173 Posts |
Others can give you a much more detailed account, but suffice it to say that Buffalo nickels have been a favorite series for a long time, and prices have always reflected that popularity. Buffaloes, along with most other series, have enjoyed a booming coin market for some time. Is this a bubble or will prices hold firm? That is the question. |
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Pillar Of The Community
3147 Posts |
I don't think Buffalo nickels are going to be going down any time soon. High grade nickels and the key dates are tough to find and one must keep in mind when the average collector buys them up they could be off the market for 40 years or longer. Basically all the classics, even the lesser collected, are making historic climbs in prices at this time and the classics, for the most part, are NOT based on the price of precious metals. Honestly, for the most part, it is simply based on supply and demand and more and more collectors have jumped on board since the Statehood Quarter program and expanded from there. Demand is far above supply for such high grades and key dates so hold on for the ride. I buy higher grade Buffalo nickel even if I don't need them and I have noticed a tremendous decrease in dates available and seldom see an unc. buffalo any more. Granted they are not gone but they may not see the light of day for that 40 years I was talking about. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1173 Posts |
Terry...I wouldn't argue with your fundamental analysis. Buffs are popular and there are many collectors with money to spare. But I would point out that times change and sometimes that means there are fewer collectors willing to spend the big bucks, and more collectors liquidating coins, changing the supply and demand quotient. I agree, though, that it is unlikely that a careful buyer would lose much if anything in this particular series.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2540 Posts |
Buffs are very popular.
I started picking up some nice pieces a few years ago, just ones that I liked, and they have done very well.
With the new Jeff designs, as with the quarters with the start of the States quarters, collectors migrate to older coins.
I believe that they will continue to increase in value.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
I've heard that one of the biggest reasons the prices of Buffalo nickels has been climbing is people are finding out the Mint has stopped making them.  In reality just a popular coin. Some like the Indian Head design and others like the buffalo. It is one of the few coins our Mint has ever produced that both sides are great. There are others but that Nickel is just popular and as already stated price and demand. |
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Valued Member
United States
411 Posts |
I started collecting raw circ'd buffs recently because (1) I needed to start a new date set of fairly available raw coins, having just completed a set of raw Walkers; and (2) I realized how much I love the design, and more importantly, how appealing the coins were in all grades where the dates are readable.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1173 Posts |
I'll add to JustCarl's observations that the Buffalo nickel is one of the few truly "American" coin designs that is readily available to most collectors. The Indian profile on the obverse and bison (buffalo) on the reverse capture much of the essence of the U.S. frontier spirit. The coin just "speaks" to people. In addition, until the prices got completely out of hand, it was a series that was neither too short nor too long. It offers collectors a challenge to complete, but a reachable goal none-the-less. So many short series are either "easy" to complete with no compelling key dates (say Franklin halves) or have so many difficult to obtain dates or mm's that collectors know they can never expect to complete the series unless they have DEEP pockets and lots of time, such as the 3-cent silvers where from 1867-1872 the HIGHEST mintage number was 4,500 coins, and the average number was 3,233. Prices on these are surprisingly low...but just try finding any! Edited by hunter20ga
08/07/2007 6:36 pm
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Pillar Of The Community
3147 Posts |
Hunter20ga you have stated an obvious that I was about to bring up so we do agree on one thing. The Indian/Buffalo nickel is one of the few coins minted that is NON-POLITICAL on either the obverse or reverse. Just an outstanding design and I find it hard to believe its popularity has not struck a chord with the Mint or our politians. I can live with Lady Liberty but do wish Congress would give the Presidents a break. Leave them on our currency but do something worthwhile on our coinage or vise versa! I have said this for years and probably will till the day I day and hopefully I will be back to haunt them over this issue!!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1173 Posts |
Crystalk64...I suspect we agree on many things. I certainly agree with you that once they started putting Presidents on our coins the beauty and mystique of our coinage deteriorated rapidly. We could have much more compelling images on our coins!
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Pillar Of The Community
3147 Posts |
Yeah, take Canada for example, making millions off of their wildlife. Some of the designs are so beautiful one tends to forget all about the Queen on the other side. We do have wildlife here in the States don't we? I know I sure own a lot of Loons, Maple Leaf's, Polar Bears, Beavers, Elk, Grizzly Bears, Whitetail Deer and Moose and they are all from our Greyside north of the border! Shame it takes Canada to remind us of Mother Nature here in the States. It is no wonder world wide collecting is the fastest growing segment of collecting here in the states!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1031 Posts |
Please don't forget about the fish. For me, if there's a fish on there it must be a keeper.
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Replies: 11 / Views: 1,336 |
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Posted 08/06/2007 9:20 pm
