Dear 1923 Buffalo Nickel....What Are You?

Hi! I was wanting to get some feedback on this 1923 Buffalo Nickel. I have done research for a few days on it and have pretty much came up empty handed or somewhat even more confused. I know this is an error coin but is it just an error or perhaps a Wrong planchet or Improper alloy mix? It weighs 4.7 Grams compared to the normal 5 Grams and is a totally different color than any other 1920s brown toned buffalo nickel. Liberty is Doubled and United States of America is a Mess to say the least-Doubled, Scrambled, Ect. Upon magnification I can see other letters under the words and date on the Reverse. The Bison also has cuffs around his legs. Due to the green and orange colors the Indians wears I named it my TMNT Nickel. What are your thoughts on this coin? Thank you for your time, consideration and knowledge.

 

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I think.... I think...hmmm, I think,, I think I won't go first.

 

Welcome !! What's that Green stuff ? Why is it red ? Has this been in the ground ? I'm being serious.

 

No to wrong planchet. It's Environmental Toning. I have found a few Buffalo Nickels like yours Metal Detecting. Color depends on the type of soil, dirt, sand or clay it was found in.
Weight is within tolerance.

Welcome to CoinTalk

 

LoL! Nope. Not that I’m aware of. It’s very mysterious. This is exactly why I finally asked for opinions.

 

I have no knowledge of this coin ever being in the ground. It’s through and through that color not just on the outside of the coin and why the weight difference if Environmental....What about the doubling and obvious other letters under the United States, Ect? Why would this cause such?

 

That's ok. Many people don't. But it the most obvious answer. I once dumped hundreds of dark toned detected Nickels into a Coinstar machine. I'm sure whoever ended up with them when they went back into circulation are also wondering how they got darker.

- Mr. Ed
Specializing in collecting Mint Errors since 1985

 

You mean the E Pluribus Unum?

 

Through and through . How do you know. ?

 

I agree with @paddyman98 your nickel has environmental damage. The alloy used for the nickel is actual 75% copper, 25% Nickel. It's Not uncommon for ground finds turn brown.

The extra letters and doubling that you see are due to dirt and/or corrosion. Sorty, but your coin did not leave the the mint looking like that and is not an error

 

Thank You all very much for your information. That’s something new I can now research and learn about. I think it’s a cool coin regardless. I just wanted to know why it was the way it was. I knew 100% it wasn’t just toned.

 

I'm can't confirm this and don't have the references, but I recall reading that the Ni is selectively leached from the alloy near the surface in certain soil chemistries and the higher copper concentration turns brown

 

It's environmentally damaged, that's why it's the color it is.

Welcome to CT.

 

Unless you are 97 years old and have tracked this coin all that time, you should assume it's been in the ground or elsewhere, even an old foundation, where it became environmentally damaged. The weight difference being within tolerance but low could mean it was from a slightly thinner planchet. The brown color might indicate it came from the ground and was in contact with iron laden soil. There are simply too many ways all this could have happened and no one will ever be able to tell you the answer.

 

Welcome to CT @MacSpecial7. Unfortunately, your photos are almost impossible to use for judging the coin. While the reverse looked like it could have been a lamination, which is common for Buffalo nickels, closer examination leads me to believe it is just PMD with environmental damage. Better photos of both sides might be helpful.

 

Nickel.....The world’s 24th most abundant element is a transition metal, meaning it occupies the middle of the periodic table of elements which indicates it has chemical properties that enable it to form multiple chemical compounds. Pure nickel is hard yet ductile and pliable and is used as a strengthening component in metal alloys.
It is also Ubiquitous in soil and can be found at higher concentrations in a number of mineral ores.
Nickel has been a favored component of coins because it is bright, takes a fine polish and because it is lighter than copper, silver or other metals used in coin currency.
Nickel does not easily oxidize or rust, therefore it was adapted as an electroplating material. Electroplating is a process in which metal ions in a chemical solution are attracted to a solid metal electrode. As the ions bind to the surface of the metal they form a uniform, thin coating.
Electroplating a metal surface with nickel can form a layer that protects against corrosion.


Freshly formed, copper is a beautiful rosy-pink color. Before long, however, it changes to a darker russet-brown. Under certain circumstances, it may turn red, black or blue-green.
The lowest oxide level of copper is cuprous oxide, or cuprite. Its color is pink. Barely noticeable at first, a penny becomes darker over time due to the tarnish layer thickening, as well as the continued oxidation to the black cupric oxide, tenorite.
Exposure to moisture in the presence of dissolved acidic substances, such as carbon dioxide and the polluting substances found in acid rain, tarnished copper turns green. Among these acid substances are the oxides of sulfur and the oxides of nitrogen. Reacting with moisture, they form dilute solutions of strong acids.
These acids interacting with the tarnished copper produce predominantly three minerals responsible for the blue-green to gray-green patina.......