I am getting ready to open a bag of Buffalo nickels, but I know already that a lot of them don't have a date that can be read. I suppose I could use Nic-a-Date on them, but I would then just give them away. What do you do with these coins?
I look for the rare ones and sell them. A 1916/1916 is still worth a bundle if the date is clear. 1913-S II, 1914-D and a few others still get a decent premium.
I certainly would scrutinize them to see if I could determine dates from other markers. The ones that have no discernible markers, I put with highly circulated Liberty nickels and give them to young people I meet while shopping at the store. I include the following: THE CHALLENGE You have been given this challenge, should you choose to accept it, to hopefully allow you to gain knowledge and see the history and beauty of our American coinage. Your task is to research the coin(s) you’ve been given to find out their history. What is this coin? What or who is on this coin? Why was this image chosen? Who designed this coin? What are the dates this coin was used? What is it made of? What is the value for this coin today? You might wish to ask your teacher if they would give you extra credit for a written report about the coin. Either way, you win as you have gained valuable knowledge that others do not have. Good luck and have fun. Your friend, Mountain Man (cointalk.com)
I got some dateless buffs just to try degrees of peroxide and white vinegar to raise the date. It worked but the coins were too white. And one of them was a rare 1913 S type 1, which was identifiable WITHOUT ruining it, so I blew it on that one. Even in G it's a $50 coin. IDK what it is worth now $10 as a hole filler?
I do like that idea. I have a red ebook that covers the Buffalos and the ebook edition of the CPG, so I have those that should help. Thanks!
