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<p>[QUOTE="Al Kowsky, post: 3694177, member: 97383"]Hobo nickels are coins that have had their designs modified with files, engraving, chasing, and carving tools. The most popular coins to work with are Buffalo or Indian Head nickels, minted from 1913-1938. They were easy enough to work with hand tools and the Indian head provided subject matter that was ripe with possibilities. The most common theme was the transformation of the Indian head into a hobo wearing a derby-like hat. I bought the coin pictured below from a friend who had a coin shop in Leroy, NY about 8 years ago. The coin is skillfully worked and appears to be from the early classic period.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]989884[/ATTACH]</p><p>For comparison an unblemished 1913 nickel MS68, courtesy of PCGS</p><p>[ATTACH=full]989887[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>Hobo nickels vary in quality from very fine to crude and amateurish. Many soldiers returning from World War I were unable to find work and lived a hobo's life along with many down-and-outers who hitched rides on railroad trains, going from city to city looking for work. Some hobos were skilled enough to work the Indian head nickels during stops and sell them to tourists or locals for a few bucks or a meal, hence the label "Hobo Nickels" was coined. This phenomenon of working coins didn't just spring up with Buffalo nickels, it began earlier in the 19th century with other coins. A favorite coin to work over was the American trade dollar like the one pictured below.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]989898[/ATTACH]</p><p>These were called "Potty Dollars" and depicted a nude Miss Liberty taking a dump on a chamber pot. This coin has "NO FREE TRADE" engraved above the date which helps date it to the late 1880s. Republicans issued tariffs during the Civil War to protect American industrial interests (sound familiar) and they stayed in place until Democrat Grover Cleveland decided to run for president. Cleveland wanted to reduce tariffs to make imports cheaper (sound familiar). After a tooth and nail battle Cleveland managed to reduce tariffs from 47% to 40%, and this coin is a memento of that era.</p><p><br /></p><p>For comparison pictured below is an unblemished 1877 trade dollar</p><p>[ATTACH=full]989924[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>Getting back to hobo nickels, the Original Hobo Nickel Society (OHNS) was formed in 1992 and has provided a wealth of information to collectors of these coins. Delma (Del) K. Romines published a series of articles on hobo nickels for <i>Coin World</i> magazine in the 1980s and published a well researched book <i>Hobo Nickels</i> in 1982. These publications stirred interest in the hobby and many modern artists started making hobo nickels again. The most sought after hobo nickels from the classic period were made by Bertram "Bert" Wiegand, and his protege George Washington "Bo" Hughes. Very few of their coins are signed, but the ones that can be attributed to them bring high prices and signed examples bring very high prices. The best of the modern artists have no equal and their coins bring very high prices. Heritage auctions liquidated two important collections of hobo nickels this year; 29 coins from the Jack Royse collection and 1,100 coins from the Don Haley collection. Pictured below are five of the coins that Heritage sold along with prices realized. Photos courtesy of Heritage.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]989959[/ATTACH]</p><p>An early example by Bert Wiegand. Notice how it was signed by removing letters from LIBERTY. $9,600.00</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]989962[/ATTACH]</p><p>This is the most sought after type made by Bert when he was imprisoned in Georgia and had to work on the chain gang in 1933. $13,200.00</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]989975[/ATTACH] This is a later example by Bert in 1947, after he injured his hand. $4,800.00</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]989977[/ATTACH]</p><p>This is a self portrait by Bo Hughes, 1952. $7,500.00</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]989979[/ATTACH]</p><p>Bo Hughes, 1923, donkey with a shanty in the background. $8,400.00</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]989992[/ATTACH]</p><p>Willie Nelson by Aleksey Saburov, 2014. Visit his website to see nickels made with astonishing realism.</p><p><br /></p><p>If any CT member has hobo nickels feel free to post them <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie2" alt=";)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />.</p><p><br /></p><p>References:</p><p>On line pamphlet from the OHNS</p><p>Coin World article by Steve Roach, 12-13-2018</p><p>Hobo NIckels by Dekma K. Romines, Copyright 1982</p><p>Heritage Auction Archives</p><p>Wikipedia[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="Al Kowsky, post: 3694177, member: 97383"]Hobo nickels are coins that have had their designs modified with files, engraving, chasing, and carving tools. The most popular coins to work with are Buffalo or Indian Head nickels, minted from 1913-1938. They were easy enough to work with hand tools and the Indian head provided subject matter that was ripe with possibilities. The most common theme was the transformation of the Indian head into a hobo wearing a derby-like hat. I bought the coin pictured below from a friend who had a coin shop in Leroy, NY about 8 years ago. The coin is skillfully worked and appears to be from the early classic period. [ATTACH=full]989884[/ATTACH] For comparison an unblemished 1913 nickel MS68, courtesy of PCGS [ATTACH=full]989887[/ATTACH] Hobo nickels vary in quality from very fine to crude and amateurish. Many soldiers returning from World War I were unable to find work and lived a hobo's life along with many down-and-outers who hitched rides on railroad trains, going from city to city looking for work. Some hobos were skilled enough to work the Indian head nickels during stops and sell them to tourists or locals for a few bucks or a meal, hence the label "Hobo Nickels" was coined. This phenomenon of working coins didn't just spring up with Buffalo nickels, it began earlier in the 19th century with other coins. A favorite coin to work over was the American trade dollar like the one pictured below. [ATTACH=full]989898[/ATTACH] These were called "Potty Dollars" and depicted a nude Miss Liberty taking a dump on a chamber pot. This coin has "NO FREE TRADE" engraved above the date which helps date it to the late 1880s. Republicans issued tariffs during the Civil War to protect American industrial interests (sound familiar) and they stayed in place until Democrat Grover Cleveland decided to run for president. Cleveland wanted to reduce tariffs to make imports cheaper (sound familiar). After a tooth and nail battle Cleveland managed to reduce tariffs from 47% to 40%, and this coin is a memento of that era. For comparison pictured below is an unblemished 1877 trade dollar [ATTACH=full]989924[/ATTACH] Getting back to hobo nickels, the Original Hobo Nickel Society (OHNS) was formed in 1992 and has provided a wealth of information to collectors of these coins. Delma (Del) K. Romines published a series of articles on hobo nickels for [I]Coin World[/I] magazine in the 1980s and published a well researched book [I]Hobo Nickels[/I] in 1982. These publications stirred interest in the hobby and many modern artists started making hobo nickels again. The most sought after hobo nickels from the classic period were made by Bertram "Bert" Wiegand, and his protege George Washington "Bo" Hughes. Very few of their coins are signed, but the ones that can be attributed to them bring high prices and signed examples bring very high prices. The best of the modern artists have no equal and their coins bring very high prices. Heritage auctions liquidated two important collections of hobo nickels this year; 29 coins from the Jack Royse collection and 1,100 coins from the Don Haley collection. Pictured below are five of the coins that Heritage sold along with prices realized. Photos courtesy of Heritage. [ATTACH=full]989959[/ATTACH] An early example by Bert Wiegand. Notice how it was signed by removing letters from LIBERTY. $9,600.00 [ATTACH=full]989962[/ATTACH] This is the most sought after type made by Bert when he was imprisoned in Georgia and had to work on the chain gang in 1933. $13,200.00 [ATTACH=full]989975[/ATTACH] This is a later example by Bert in 1947, after he injured his hand. $4,800.00 [ATTACH=full]989977[/ATTACH] This is a self portrait by Bo Hughes, 1952. $7,500.00 [ATTACH=full]989979[/ATTACH] Bo Hughes, 1923, donkey with a shanty in the background. $8,400.00 [ATTACH=full]989992[/ATTACH] Willie Nelson by Aleksey Saburov, 2014. Visit his website to see nickels made with astonishing realism. If any CT member has hobo nickels feel free to post them ;). References: On line pamphlet from the OHNS Coin World article by Steve Roach, 12-13-2018 Hobo NIckels by Dekma K. Romines, Copyright 1982 Heritage Auction Archives Wikipedia[/QUOTE]
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