I have a few dateless buffalo nickel that I have found roll searching and was wondering if there is a method of bringing out the date on them, I know most likely they will still be worth next to dateless buffalo's but I want to do it in fun to see if it works. I see some ways on the internet but want to ask if anyone else has tried.
The Nic-A-Date that Chris mention above is perfect. I've used it and it does restore the date enough to be read. I've found several Buffalo dates and mintmarks that increased the value over the fifty cents or less that I paid for them.
Look for Die Attributes prior to using some form of acid date method. In some cases granted very few (This is why they are rare) a specialty dates like the 1916/16 can be found by die attributes and the value will much higher if not acid dated. My point is use chemicals as a last resort
If you don't want to buy something, I found that vinager works very well to make the date come back to the coin, however, if you leave it to soak too long it gives the coin a very grainy appearence. Make sure you rinse the coin off after you treat it with vinager if you decide to use this method.
