Collecting Indian Head Nickels

I can only speculate without a picture...?
There were nearly 119 million minted that year thus making it a common date.
Who told you what the value was?
Give us some pictures of your beautiful Indian nickel (we love pictures) and we'll give you our best estimation.
Look forward to your pics!
smat

Yes, pics are important. Many Indian Head nickels are worth small fortunes in better grades. Your 1936 just happens to be among the most common dates.



to the CCF!

Agreed, pictures certainly help. Adding to what others have said, survival rate is another factor, which goes hand in hand with other factors. In lower grades, buffs are readily available, and relatively inexpensive compared to other series. Prices do rise in AU like most series, but really jump in MS. A lot of this has to with the striking issues with this series in combination with the overall survival rate of higher grades for certain years. You can pick up a 1926-s for under $100 in Fine, but an MS-65 will set you back 6 figures.

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Thanks, John. To me, they looked clear when I was posting them. Now, I'm looking at them and I am not seeing clarity. Have a good day.

It's a regional thing.

Here in Central Ohio, we used to be a Rail Road Hub, lots of visitors spending their nickels. It is not impossible to find one in change, even today. Very difficult, but far from impossible. Nickel is a very durable metal. It holds up very well. Meaning that they lasted in circulation long after Cents and silver coins had worn down and been discarded.

What that means is that people did collect them out here, but they were so common that places like mine have boxes of them for 50 cents a peice. Not key dates mind you but common dates. The other problem is that there are, believe it or not, more expensive coins in this set than in a Lincoln Wheat cent collection. By which I mean the number of coins with a healthy premium in just "good" condition are greater than in a LWC collection. MOST LWC collections are only missing the big three. The rest can be found in hole filler condition for less than $10 each...usually much less. People tend to get sticker shock with the buffs and then give up.

Still they sell fairly well out here. I make buying trips to the west coast on occasion and buffs just don't sell that well in Northern California. I, in fact, bought one dealers entire inventory ( in a tupperware container!) for $200, because he just could not sell them. To be strictly honest this was not a good deal for the man who sold them as there was a bit over $200 in face value. He just wanted them gone and out of his hair that bad!

It's like Comics. People find 50 year old comics and think they must be a fortune. When in reality due to the number printed and the condition they are worth only a couple of bucks each.

Don't get discouraged. We all started somewhere