Hello all...I thankyou for allowing me to join your forum. I am a part time collector..full time teacher. (I am trying to get my school to allow a coin collecting club for the school year..results are yet to be seen). I use to collect a long time ago and recently I have come into control of my father's and gradfather's collection that has been handed down through the years. It has aropund 60 to 80 Ben fraknlins to be identified not counting all the mercuries...morgans...pre 64 quarters and such. i will no doubt be asking questions and hopefully you all will not get upset with me (look at me as a student ready to take in all information)...I have this buffalo I was looking at that seemed different when I broke open my fathers make shift paper role. (He took regular copy paper and rolled 20 nickels in it and taped it up dating in 1963) This Buffalo seemed different than all the others.. I asked him where he got it and all he could tell me was it was from a small store in Bay City Texas. I am wondering is there a chance this could be a Brilliant that got into circultation. Any help is thankyou very much. This coin has been is a paper roll since 63 and no polishing or anythjing..Why is it so much more shinier and newer looking? thanks for any info and look forward to conversing with all. I am here to learn.
To me it looks like someone silver plated it but the pictures make it hard to tell. Welcome to CoinTalk
Thankyou for the quick responses. I am wondering though why someone would clean or dip a coin that was in a change tray. I just wanted to clarify that it came from change at a store. When i said my dad got it in a store in Texas, i looked at it and it sounded like he got it at a coin store. So here are a few more questions. 1. If it has been dipped by someone who then used it as change, or plated would this bring down any value? 2. What grade would you all say it is? (I picked up a magazine at the store the other day, so it has some prices in it, but i am not very good at grading and want to try and learn that as well.) Thanks for any help and have a good weekend Ohh and is there any way to see if it was plated such as a weight or something? Roy
1. Since these were never made in silver, but nickel, someone plated it and used it to scam an amateur collector who wouldn't know any better. As far as dipping the coin, there are a lot of collectors out there who do not like toning on coins, which is a very natural process that occurs, so by dipping the coin they were attempting to make the coin shiny. However, there are more collectors than not who would rather a coin be in it's original aged condition with patena and toning. 2. G-F, but because of the possible plating, it's considered damaged and would be bodybagged by one of the TPGs. 3. The only way that I know of would be to scrape the surface and see if the silver comes off in flakes, and thus further damaging the coin. 4. I know you didn't ask this, but the 35 and 36 buffalo nickels are common mints, and without the plating would only sell for $1-$1.50 each.
Very cool to know thanks very much. I see what you are saying now with someone maybe trying to scam someone back then, cause i knew it had been in that old ammo box since the 60s. I think I will leave it alone and not scrape it, just look at it as a pretty oddball. I love the history of coins and i always think when i find one; "Who held this? What items was it used to buy?" One could wonder what type of altercation this coin caused if someone was scammed with it and he/she found out. I was looking at it again just awhile ago and found another cool lookin Buffalo in the pile. I may try to post pics of it later (I dont want to junk up the forum with all types of post or anything) It is a 1926S, the 6 is wore some, I thought it was a '28, but after comparing it I dont think it is. I bought some paper holders (2X2) to put some of my coins in, they came in the mail yesterday so I am just chillin today. (I am also the Archery coach here at my school so I had practice today and am just relaxing right now.) Thanks again for the info. One last question though. Some of these coins have some dirt on them. When you mentioned cleaning, is it ok to rinse them off with some mild dish liquid and warm water or no?
First, welcome to the neighborhood, Roy! Second, it's not a good idea to clean any coin unless you know what you're doing. You can destroy any numismatic value it might have had. Third.............. Pop Quiz!!!! Just kidding! Chris
Thanks for the warning Chris...Here is a pic of what I think is a 26s. sorry about pics, i am practicing how to take decent ones.
I agree with the 26, it does not have the indent of the 8. I give it a grade of AG03 to G04. It's stiil a key Buffalo even as a filler coin.
Thanks much McBlzr...I am new to grading and such and with what I have been able to read off the internet and pics I have seen I had it at a VG8 at most. I am guessing the G04 is same as a G4. What gives it that grade in your opinion, would it be the wearing of the rim into "liberty" on the obverse along with the wear on the date being so difficult to read? Anything on the back catch ya eye alot? General wear on the Buffalo, no horn visible. Lettering kinda blending into the rim? Thanks again for setting my mind a ease with it being a 26s and taking time to answer a newbs questions.
Welcome roymwr. I'm actually a history major planning on teaching. I've been collecting since 14, 23 now. I too am a part time collector, it's nice to see another teacher.
I use this Grading Assistant in my ProCoin software program and PCGS PhotoGrade website I always start with looking at the horn, compare it first, then the other details. >>>> http://www.pcgs.com/Photograde/#/Buffalo/Grades
tdogchristy90...Thanks for the welcome...I have loved history for as long as I can remember. This year in my US Modern History class, we are about to get into WW2. I have ordered a bag of steel pennies and when it comes in and we are in that unit of study I plan on letting each student reach in and take a steel penny and then put it in a little 2X2. Some may keep them some wont...but already as we have went through a few units this year kids are bringing in Wheaties and 1 or 2 mercs and asking questions. SO i let them research in class and explain what they find. McBlzr...that is a sweat program. I am going to look into that maybe down the road and when funds are there (Teacher salary lol). Until i guess as long as all dont get fed up I will pick peoples minds here and try to learn as much as I can.
The PCGS PhotoGrade is free. The ProCoin software sells for $45 if you download it. You can even add you own pics of your coins
If it's surface dirt that you think would come off with just rinsing under water, you could try it. Don't rub the coin to get the dirt off, and when drying it, use a lint free cotton cloth, pat it dry, don't rub it dry. I wouldn't use any detergent or soap, try warm water that may work better than cold. The general consensus about cleaning is never clean coins. But some would argue that. To each his own. As far as the 1926-S, that is a key date coin and would certainly hold some value to it, especially in the uncirculated MS grades, but also some AU grades have 4 figure selling prices to them, according to numismedia.com.
Hey guys and ladies....Hope all is having an awesome Superbowl weekend. I was wondering about a few things. First, thanks for the heads up BUncirculated. I will not use any dish liquid or anything. The ones I was speaking of were some loose mercs and wheaties dad had just thrown in this ammo box and they had some loose dirt and such on them. I will follow your directions. Also, I took some different pics of the 36 buffalo...If I post em, could ya all take a second look to confirm any possible plating or dipping? Secondly, I read the rules about multiple posting of topics. I posted in the US coin forum about "Post your Morgans." In it I asked what peeps may think it was worth. Is it ok to post it in this area about what it may be worth and get ya all to grade my grading of this coin. I have been reading alot and used the program McBlzr talked about (Awesome program!!!) and I wanted peeps to grade me. Thanks and everyone have a good week.
