nic-a-dated some old Buffs

Coinlover,

I somewhat disagree! If you do not quickly wash or rinse the Nic-A-Date off of the coin, then it will continue to eat away at the metal until it's acidity is used up. In other words, the Nic-A-Date can and will continue to eat away at the coin and can destroy the recently restored Date. I have seen quite a few coins that were purchased off of eBay that had been treated with Nic-A-Date across the entire surface of the coin (to restore details as well as the Date and Mint Mark) and apparently were not washed or rinsed. These were received by the Buyers as pictured on eBay but within a month or so, much of the details, Date and Mint Mark had dissolved into a pitted mess.


Frank

 

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Out of curiosity? WHat would a nic-dated buffalo be worth? Say a 1914-D, bid in good is $70. Maybe $7? 10%? .70$ 1%?

 

Really, whatever someone is willing to pay for it! Check out eBay. There are literally hundreds of Nic-A-Date treated Buffalo Nickels up for auction during most weeks and quite a few of them are Key or Semi-Key Dates, Doubled Dies and Over-Dates. I find quite a few of the auctions misleading as the information noting that the Date and/or Mint Mark have been restored using Nic-A-Date is buried deep in the description. eBay should make it mandatory, to note this tidbit in the Title!


Frank

 

i didm't ever think of that!

 

I kind of take it you don't like the use of nic-a-date on dateless buffs? Not being snotty, so please don't take it as that, was just wondering. You come across in my opinion that you don't like the idea of doing that to dateless buffalo nickels, but of course that is my own perception, and could be totally wrong. Was just wondering.

Phoenix

 

Just did another old Buffalo which had a very worn down date. It looked like it could be a 1929 (my best guess) a 1926 or something else. Nik-A-date raised up a 1921. So for this particular coin the process had some merit I guess.
And just a comment about the pros and cons: The fact is these coins are worthless to begin with unless someone wants to carve them into hobos. To me and my humble collection they do end up as hole fillers and are not for resale. The value to start with is 5 cents. And the value after the acid is also 5 cents.

 

Okay, thanks. Now if you don't mind, I have another question. I have heard the side on which people use it on the dateless buffalos because otherwise they are beasically worth 5 cents. From there perspective they are restoring the coins, which I can agree on. Please don't take this the wrong way, it will probably sound wrong, but what is your perspective on this. Why isn't it you don't like the use on the buffs that weren't able to be identified, but after the process, they can be reconized and there dates can be identified? I like to hear both parts of a subject before I make up my mind on a particular matter such as this. Before I condem it, or sing it's praises, what is your take and side on this. Thanks ahead of time for the information. And please don't take my questions the wrong way. I'm asking them not to make a point or anything, actually do want to learn both perspectives on this. Thanks.

Phoenix

 

I may be way off base here, but I think there's a big difference between an altered coin and an identified coin. Since there is currently no other process for showing the date on worn coins (that are basically worth face value or metal content), I don't see how someone innocently finding out the date on a coin they purchased or found could be misconstrued as being unethical, which is what I get from your posts. I'm certainly not trying to be rude or difficult, and I have only the utmost respect for more experienced collectors than myself, but I really have to disagree. Maybe it's just me, and maybe I just can't understand the views of a devout purist, but it just seems silly to me to have a dateless coin that is good for little more than a jar of curios that may well be a rare key date, and just leave it to sit there when we have a product that can show us what the coin really is.

I respect your opinion, and I agree with you to an extent. I personally hate to see holed dateless buffalo nickels, because to me putting a hole in one is absolute destruction of the coin, but revealing a previously unknown date is more akin to cataloging than destroying, in my opinion.

Thanks for your time, reading my likely irrelevant post :goofer:, and I can't wait to see what your thoughts are!

 

Well, I can appreciate that, however it seems like a rather large leap to assume that all of these coins will be used to bilk the public. I believe that most (if not all) of the members here are quite honest. I agree this could easily be used to fool novice collectors, but if nic-a-date weren't around, they would just use vinegar. I think the important thing is not to elimate the products that can be very helpful to genuine, honest numismatists, but rather to educate the young or novice collectors so they don't make the mistake of buying from the less than honest sellers. Basically what I'm saying is that education of the buyers rather than elimination of the sellers is the key.

And as for your other comment, I definitely respect your opinion. I suppose both sides of the argument (to nic or not to nic) have their own advantages and disadvantages. I favor the to nic, you favor not to nic. Opinons are a lot like $2 bills. We all have them, but they're not worth anything over face.

 

Some would call it restoring I have not used that stuff since i was a kid.

I wonder if any of the acid dates have ever sold for big bucks :goofer:

 

OK if I may add my 2 cents the bottom line here is, it's my nickle and I can do as I please with it, no?
A few posts back I said that I raised the date on a 1913D type 1. That coin was part of an eBay purchase and otherwise would have lived the rest of it's life as a dateless unknown. It filled a hole in a low budget Whitman classic album. I got the album second hand for $1.00. I removed all the filthy dusty plastic slides and washed them by hand. I superglued the falling apart pages. Now I am filling it with the cheapest Buffalos on the planet. This set is for me. And if I went out to purchase a 1913D Type 1 Buffalo I would be set back $10 to $20 bucks. My opinion is thus: The last I heard this is America. And we are free to do what we want with our possessions. I am not harming anyone by Nik-A-Date usage on any one of my dateless nickles. And I find it fun, rather interesting and a good clean passtime.

 

Okay, thanks for your side of it. I have to agree and disagree with you in some areas, but everbody is different and has there own opinion. But I see what you are saying. Thanks.

Phoenix

 

Interesting debate

"I don't see how someone innocently finding out the date on a coin they purchased or found could be misconstrued as being unethical, which is what I get from your posts."

What may seen innocent to you, might seem like a quick way to make a buck to someone else. Everyone doesn't see the world with rose colored glasses and everyone is far from innocent in the way they choose to live their lives.


"Maybe it's just me, and maybe I just can't understand the views of a devout purist, but it just seems silly to me to have a dateless coin that is good for little more than a jar of curios that may well be a rare key date, and just leave it to sit there when we have a product that can show us what the coin really is."

The last time that I looked, there were millions of dateless coins. Look in any junk box of silver. They are sitting there just fine. Why aren't they being saved from a life in a curio jar?


"Well, I can appreciate that, however it seems like a rather large leap to assume that all of these coins will be used to bilk the public. I believe that most (if not all) of the members here are quite honest. I agree this could easily be used to fool novice collectors, but if nic-a-date weren't around, they would just use vinegar."

Welcome to the 21st century. It's time to smell the coffee. Since the advent of ebay, lots of things have been used to bilk the public. Nick-a-date buffs have been bilking the public for generations and get this ....all for personal gain. Go figure. The honesty of the membership is not in question, although given the percentages, there are some players among us. That's a fact. They didn't check each persons honesty card when they registered for membership. Did they?


"I think the important thing is not to elimate the products that can be very helpful to genuine, honest numismatists, but rather to educate the young or novice collectors so they don't make the mistake of buying from the less than honest sellers. Basically what I'm saying is that education of the buyers rather than elimination of the sellers is the key."

Ah ..yes..the education card. Let's educate everyone about everything so that no one will ever be taken advantage of again. Less than honest sellers ...hmmm...lets put a sign on them so that everyone knows who they are and young and novice collectors will see them from a mile away. How about making them wear a blaze orange safety vest with the scarlet letter B on it for ...bad guy. Online however ...they would you like you or me...bummer. Education is no key ..it's only self preservation.


"My opinion is thus: The last I heard this is America. And we are free to do what we want with our possessions. I am not harming anyone by Nik-A-Date usage on any one of my dateless nickles. And I find it fun, rather interesting and a good clean passtime."


I love the ole America card ..land of the free and home of the cluess buffalo buyers. Yes indeed you are free to do with your property what you want. Nick-a-date the heck out of all the buffs you can just for spite. That will sure show those nik-a-date haters. The only people that you are harming are people that will come long after you are gone. The kids of future generations who will buy your old nik-a-date nickels thinking that they are real. But since you don't know them ..who cares. They will have to fend for themselves.

 

Interesting points andrew. I can see how this is along the same lines of cleaning. I personally haven't made my full judgement on this, but I think I agree with both groups on this subject. My thought is, why keep it a dateless nickel, when you can bring back it's date and identity? But also, to everything, there is a positive or negative reaction. Including this like you have mentioned. True, you are bringing back it's identity I guess you can say, but also, who is it going to hurt later on? Who is it going to cheat? A very exellent debate I must say, and I thank both sides for it so far. :thumb:

Phoenix :Cool:

 

Hmmmm...doesn't it have it's own identity by being dateless?