New to buffalo nickels, but can someone tell me if the coin in the middle is a matte proof that somehow got circulated? Thanks
It looks like it had a cleaning with white vinegar which will etch the surfaces if left too long to soak. Vinegar is sometimes used to clean nickels but not recommended.
That coin has probably been vinegar etched to try to bring up a date. That's why it has a whitish color. Agree with Tommy. The trick is to put in a few drops of hydrogen peroxide into the white vinegar, and very often, you will be able to see a date. Under a bright light, with a loupe. There is a Catch-22. This method will permanently ruin the coin and make it appear white, and acid etched. Without doing this, you won't know what the date is. By doing this if it was a good date, you have ruined the coin.