1936 Hobo Nickel Just For Fun

From my research, I found that it was done by a modern day carver who teaches the "craft" to other carvers. His name is Joe Paonessa. Again..Just for fun stuff.

Just ask Bert if they are real or not?

Coin alteration is damage to a coin, but some like the looks of the alteration making it into an art form. It would make a good topic for conversation of what examples they have images of?

I'm not sure I like "altering" a Wheat penny, but I do admit that it's a neat looking coin.

Nothing like quality artwork or design on a good modern hobo nickel. There is also something magical about the older ones, a Buffalo nickel that had been reworked into a unique piece of art by a hobo with only a crude knife or nail punch as he tramped across America in the first half of the 20th Century.

A hobo nickel engraved by renowned hobo artist Bertram "Bert" Wiegand of his friend Elizabeth, garnered a record price of $31,800 in an auction. A hobo nickel in those times was an example of folk art where a knife, nail, or other sharp implement is used to transform one or both sides, usually of an Indian Head 5-cent coin, into designs other than originally struck on the coin. The Buffalo nickel was available and circulating during the great depression. The large Indian head, with its fairly high relief, gave the craftsmen a lot of area to work with. The coin was a low enough denomination and not precious metal so it was affordable.https://www.coinworld.com/news/us-c...tage-auction

Some of the older artists http://www.hobonickels.org/quick_id.php and book http://www.hobonickels.org/hobo_guidebook.php

One of mine:


Another modern I found very interesting, there are tons of these I could post but the good ones go for $100 and up (more like 200-300 typically) so on some I lost in the auction and only have the photos of those ones I didnt win. They arent like chafemasterj's collection of counterstamps where you can easily amass a big collection of the actual coins because many can be had for a few dollars, but on the other hand these can increase in value since they are original artwork (each is unique).

on all counts. I've always been impressed with the time, effort and skill it must take to make this art.

Most people are familiar more with the classic style ones but the modern ones have taken it to another level.

Amazing. The feline ones are WOW.