Craigslist find

Hello again, just wanted to get more opinions before I go look at these coins. The list is as follows:

350 buffalo nickels (1923-1937 readable dates)
~50 buffalo nickels (no dates mentioned just says "worn")
~250 Wheaties (1951-1958)
30 SBAs
1885 Morgan, looks sharp
1888 Morgan, a little worn
1923 Washington $1 Silver certificate, dark and worn
2-1946 liberty halves
1928-S quarter
3 ikes (1972, 1977 x2)

$200, going to meet him today. What's your opinion in worst case scenario, I mean not total worst case scenario but the nickels all being good, wheats are good, SBAs by the picture look good but not sure on dates or rim sizes, Morgans look good and in capsules, silver cert is in a picture frame missing small pieces from corners, liberty halves look worn down to good, quarter looks at least good, Ikes not really concerned about. Deal or no deal?

 

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I don't know what keeps happening on my phone, posting this in a different section than I was in. I'd add pictures if I could find the ad on my phone but kind of busy at the moment. I know its hard with no pictures, just wanted to see what everyone thought, I'll post pictures if I pick them up

 

I think one could do a lot worse for $200. You've got:

$34 face value of dollar coins and the silver cert (SBA and Ikes) that at the very least are face value
2 silver dollars that are at the very least worth $20-25 each ($40-50)
250 wheat cents that at the very least you can sell for 3x FV ($7.50)
$1.25 FV of 90% silver that melts for $14.68
400 Buffalo Nickels that usually will sell for .25-.50 each ($100-200)

Using the lowest numbers for each category, you're almost to $200. I think the condition of the buffalo nickels will be your deal breaker - if they're dateless, I don't think you lose money. If they are all in decent shape, then the rolls of Buffs seem to sell for around $25 on eBay (that's around $200 by itself) I think you take the chance and maybe find something cool in there that is your profit.

 

I guess the key is whether you intend to re-sell everything or put items into your collection(s). You have $3.25 in silver, I'd spend the SBA's and Ike's unless they're BU, so the question remains can you squeeze about $165 out of the Buffalos, wheat cents, and large $1 bill, which seems doubtful, or at best, hard work.

To follow the previous poster's logic, regarding my estimates above, the silver becomes your profit.

 

Forgot to mention it comes with a cool metal case to carry it all in! [emoji6]

 

I'll probably keep the Morgans, wheats (I'm a hoarder) and some of the nickels. I'll debate on the other stuff with your help later. Worst case for me, I use the remaining coins to trade for some key wheats

 

I break it down very similar to stldanceartist, I come to about $192 using conservative values. Definitely worth a look. The deal-breaker for me would be whether the buffalos are truly readable dates, or are they acid dates; and to a lesser degree the condition of the wheats. This sounds like some sort of beginner collection possibly, so it may be likely that there is an unrecognized prize in the bunch. If the buffs look good, the price would definitely be worth the small risk to me.

 

Also keep an eye out for any varieties...those can make a decent purchase amazing really quickly...

Again, the key of this deal is the condition of those Buffalo Nickels with dates. Half dates are basically no dates...

 

Just as a question, who buys picked-over low-end Buffalos now? Who buys the rolls offered in dealers' ads?

 

People on eBay, people at Flea Markets/Yard Sales/Antique Malls.

 

Maybe Hobo nickel dudes? Those are pretty neat...

 

Actually, out of curiosity and as a learning tool, I bought a "BWR" roll of "unsearched" buffalos with 2 XF end coins on eBay a few years ago - I think the bid was about $30. All 38 inside coins were acid dates. I offered the seller $1 for each end coin and $0.06 for each of the others to avoid the hassle of return; I was promptly issued a refund of the remaining purchase price. This is why I mentioned to make sure to look out for those. I circulated the ones I had bought.

 

The SBA's might yield a variety also-1979P Near Date. The Morgan's might yield a VAM. The Buff's would interest me...let us know how you make out with those if you do buy them. And check the dateless carefully for two feather variety as a type coin. Always worth a bit more than 12 cent average price for these. Someone who likes to cut for jewelery might want these also.

 

I'm not actually familiar with acid dates, is there an easy way to tell? Like is it super obvious?

 

Most people only treat the date, so it will stick out as long as the rest of the coin has not been treated.

 

Yes, they are super obvious to spot. I'm not sure if many still do this. But it apparently used to be a big thing for people to bring out the date of an unreadable with a certain type of acid. If you are at all familiar with buffalos, then you would easily see the difference with your naked eye if you come across one.

 

This seems ok to me. They're not my kind of coins, so I'd have to resell them for a profit to get what I wanted out of them. Given the number of coins and the number of lots I'd have to break it up into to get anything out of them, I would personally pass. Given that, I'd say it depends on whether you'd want to keep the coins yourself or not. If so, consider going for it; if not, I'd pass.

 

I might mention, there really is little to lose doing acid dating, especially if they have a mint mark. You might just run into some really tough dates to find like a 1914D. They are sellable as types as long as you are specific in your description and they come out fairly clean.

 

Thanks everyone, I think I'll buy the lot, USB microscope comes in today but I had to cut a deal with the wife for a few recent coin purchases (I'll post pictures of those next week hopefully). I may be busy sanding a desk down and reorganizing her craft room but I'll get to posting some pictures, maybe not all the nickels but I'll pick some fair representatives.

I already love this forum, although it only feeds my addiction...

 

Best strategy is to make her an accomplice. Find a YouTube craft-video that shows how to make cufflinks out of dateless Buffalo Nickels...