unknown date

i picked up an old nickel at a yard sale and there was no date its a buffalo nickel. I dont know what year it was from so how do i determine it?

 

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You can try to do an acid date. I am not real familiar with the process but I am sure someone will give you the basics for doing it.

 

Try searching dateless buffalo nickles, they talk about something you can soak it in to help bring up the date.

John

 

It's called Nic-o-date.

I guess you can buy it at any good numismatic supplier.

Steve

 

does anybody have any i could use? i dont get how it would show up the date because it looks as though it was worn off

 

From the thread " Any way to reveal worn dates on Buffalo Nickels?"

 

Just put on a couple drops, and Presto!

 

if you have or see any coin dealers around you, just ask if they have nic a date. how much did you pay for it?

 

5 cents because the guy said "whatever it cant be worth anything, there is no date, it is a normal nickel"

 

their are several ways to raise the date on nickels
(I do this a lot... so I know a lot of them)
Nic-A-Date
pros- takes only a matter of seconds to show date
cons-costs 6 dollars for a small bottle and leaves a stain on nickel where you used it

Soaking in lemon juice/vinegar
pros- after soaking, once date becomes clear since the entire coin has been soaked, it looks perfectly fine. (obviously it isnt, because you've now soaked it in acid)
cons- can take several weeks to months of soaking the coin for the date to finally show

My vinegar soaked coins look a lot better than my nic a dates, but maybe just taking a few seconds to raise the date with nic a date is worth it for that mark. It's up to you, so do which ever one feels better

 

My advise is if you do not have anything that will bring out the date, don't waste your money. If that coin is so worn that the date is gone, bringing it back with acids or such, will not increase the value sufficiently to make the trouble worth your time, money, effort. There is natually always a vague chance that if it is one of the rarer coins and if you can find someone that would buy it, might be worth the experimentation. I just wouldn't waste more money on something that is or may not be worth it.

 

does the vingar really work? i'll have to try that. how many months?

 

anyone have any pictures of a coin with the nic-a-date stuff used on it?
thanks

 

I have an old shield nickel like that. My best guess, even with a 30X loupe is 1868.

 

Heres a nic-a-date nickel currently for sale on Ebay. Item # 280139366578.

 

vinegar can take any where from 2 weeks to 2 months. Just check the coin daily and if you can see the date, take it out. If not leave it in there

 

I want to do it to some of my nickels just for the sake of knowing. I had a few dateless with S or D mintmarks

 

i have an s mint dateless buffalo nickel. you never know, it might be a 1921S.

 

Hey, I put my bison nickels in vinegar just over a day and already half are showing dates.

Thanks

 

It doesn't even look bad , in fact why not just spend 5 bucks to do it.