Buffalo Nickel Worn Date

I haven't put any type of chemical on it yet.
Prior to me owning the nickel I don't know.

 

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It’s worth pickling in my opinion. Interesting for me to know what history is passing by. But the ribbon and the reverse design, it’s likely a common Buffalo from the teens.

 

You would know if it had been acid dated previously. The signs are unmistakable.

 

Ribbon?

 

The ribbon from the braid. There are different flows for the ribbon which would indicate a worn date nickle from the early 20’s. Yours doesn’t have one of those. The reverse would indicate the mint it’s from. Since yours is dateless, without a mint mark, and has the common ribbon, it’s likely a Philadelphia nickel from the teens since most nickels from the mid to late 20s still show a date. If it were a dateless 20s but could still be attributable, you might not want to pickle it. And if it had the Tyoe 1 reverse, you would know it’s from 1913. You have Type 2, so without a date and a contributing diagnostic or two, pickling could bear out what you have.

 

too late now, i already tried and didn't get any of the date to show up.

 

Your coin should reveal a date. I’ve pickled nickels worn worse.

 

It usually takes 3-5 days if you're using the vinegar method.

 

Success!

 

Indeed! I started building a Pickled Nickel set from my CRH finds. What surprised me were the number of more difficult dates/mm’s still in circulation. Folks will tend to leave dateless Buffalo in circulation, I guess. Semi key Buffalo are still in circulation.

 

I wonder if it could've been the 1916 DDO variety now lol
Red Book prices for one are nice!

 

If you continue to pickle your nickel and keep a close eye on it, you may be able to etch it more to get a better look. I’ve seen folks sell etched varieties on line and fetch reasonable prices despite the damage.

 

Someone in this thread stated I should not try and achieve a better result.

 

I think I may see the top of a mint mark. I'd be soaking it in vinegar, both faces, so (a) the mint mark would be restored if present and (b) the coin's appearance would be uniform.

 

I agree Jeff. I like the more balanced look. To achieve that I lean the coin in a pill bottle so both side see the same thing. You have to watch out for bubbles forming on the side facing the pill bottle or uniformity can be lost.