That's better done than most of the recent fad in "skull" hobo carvings. The leaves in the background set this apart from the usual stuff. There is a British artist who specializes in fancy scrollwork and flourishes like that.. Frustratingly, I can't remember his name offhand. This might not be his work but it looks similar.
Here is one I had that was done by artist David He. Title: "The Helmsman". Host coin: 1900 Barber dime.
Somebody offered me really strong money for this one- multiples of what I had paid the artist for it. He "twisted my arm" hard enough that I finally turned loose of it. Despite that, I still had a little bit of seller's remorse afterward.
I have yet to own a hobo nickel or something along those lines. I saw some in a small antique shop in PA on a family vacation but didn't pull the trigger at $15. Still kicking myself.
I agree. Do you suppose or suggest that the one in the OP is somehow mass-produced and not a hand-done piece? That would be a dealbreaker. Only original, one-of-a-kind art pieces for me.
The image is familiar, but I can’t be certain. I agree that not hand done is a dealbreaker for me as well.
Yes, those are fun, when they're done well. Just like the modern skull and zombie trend in hobo carvings, the "potty dollar" carvings of the 19th century varied widely in artistic quality. And as always, the better craftsmanship fetches strong money.
It's real, not fake. It's like a modern day Hobo Penny. At least someone out there has some artistic talent.
