Legit Hobo Nickel?

Yes, it is a hobo nickel but it is a modern professional piece, not a contemporary amateur carving. There are a number of modern artists/sculptors who create hobo nickels but they should not be confused with those done by an actual train riding bean eating hobo

You guys beat me to the punch. There a lot of new carvers out there. The originals were scupted around fires at hobo camps. This one looks like the modern artist Maori Joe. Never have seen a picture of him though.

I like it, allot of artistic people are doing it now with gunsmith engraving tools and thats what it looks like this one used. They can make some beautiful pieces. here is an article by the artist of the piece in the Original Post http://www.hobonickels.org/jana.htm . Here are some of his other designs http://www.hobonickels.org/NiCE/JohnS/john.html


They use all types of coins including Morgan dollars and any other denomination you can think of, but when you say hobo nickel you think Buffalo nickel because they were in circulation when the engravers started doing them. I did one on a ASE once, but it wasn't all that great because all I had was a dremel and it was a long process, I don't even think I ever finished that thing, I am gonna have to try and find it and finish it one of these days

Very interesting! I had heard the term "hobo nickel" but had never seen one. Thanks for cool links!