Hi, Id like to ask grade opinions on this MS Buffalo. The pic of the obverse makes the coin look like weak strike, which it kind of is, but not as bad as the pic portrays. The rev pics came out pretty accurately. http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd202/DJP7x0s/1935Buffalo.jpg http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd202/DJP7x0s/1935Buffalorev.jpg http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd202/DJP7x0s/1935Buffalorev2.jpg
No opinions??? Are the pictures not clear enough??? I have a hard time grading MS Buffalo nickels, and I would like to get better at it.
I'm not so sure it is uncirculated (the photos make it difficult to say one way or the other), but assuming it is I'd grade it a 65.
Hum interesting. Actually, I got that same impression at first glance. I at first thought it was borderline AU/MS. But closer inspection, I came to a conclusion, that it was Uncirculated with bag marks obverse. The reverse is flawless, but the obverse has a few bag marks. But thats what Im not sure of. How bad do the bag marks hurt the grade??? And how bad does the weak strike hurt the grade??? Or are both of those acceptable on Buffalo Nickels???
It looks AU to me, based on the images. There appears to be light wear at the center of the Indian's cheek and the upper central area of the buffalo's hide, among other areas.
Wow, both of you say AU, Im going to have to grab the coin and examine it alittle more closely. Thanks
Ok, Im going to try to get better pictures of the obverse. The picture I managed before, isnt good enough to go by. I do think the coin is MS, but I could see it as being Au too. I just had it in hand checking it out with my loupe. Anyhow, what looks like wear, I dont think it is. With my loupe, I can see some flow lines in the metal. Wouldnt flow lines in the metal tell me its not wear??? But I did find another questionable spot on the coin. Which I am going to try to get some pics of. Theres a spot with extra metal right under the chin between the chin and the throat. And it doesnt look right to me. Almost like the coin could have been dipped in something that dries metalic. I really dont know. Anyhow, Im going to try for better pics and I think Ill have to request the experts.This one is more questionable that I realized before.
Ok, I managed to take some pictures that came out alot better this time around. One is a nice pic of the Obverse and the other is a close up of the neck area. I didnt do quite as well as I had hoped, capturing the neck area thats questionable with my close up. But you can see what Im reffering to as looking like extra metal. But if you notice in the cloe up, what looks like little bubbles, actually looks like splatter under my loupe. And I dont know what to call it, and Ive never seen anything like it on my other buffalos. http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd202/DJP7x0s/35Buffalo.jpg http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd202/DJP7x0s/35Buffalocloseup.jpg
The lighter colored areas at the center of the Indian's cheek and on the hair to the left of it still look like it could be light wear. However, the lighting and clarity aren't the best, so it is very difficult to assess the coin from those images. Perhaps the little "bubbles" you mentioned might were caused by a rusted die?
