1915 Buffalo Nickel. If there's a nicer one I'ld love to see it.....

[Buffalo Head]

 

I picked this one up a while back and I've yet to see a nicer one. This 1915 has been graded MS-66 by PCGS but it's just the technical grade, the eye appeal is over the top and I have seen many 67's with the same date that does not hold a candle to the looks of this one. So if you have a superb 1915 Buff I would love to see it as these 1915 Buffs sometimes are over the top. Thanks for looking.....Joe

[JOBESSI]

The toning is remarkable, and you can see every detail in the indian's face. WOW!

[jom]

OK, now THAT one has a great strike!

 

jom

[dean1345]

I cast my vote on your Buff.

[TomB]

Lots of luster nad it might have very pretty color.

[rrantique]

Whats not to like on this Buff? Eye appeal and strike!!

[jesbroken]

Another great Buffalo from the 'Joe Best Buffalo Collection". Fantastic 1915--as fine an example I have seen(photographed anyway) In hand it must be exciting. Thanks for sharing, Joe. Someday your coins will be pedigreed with your name as they should be.

Jim

[grip]

I don't know who your supplier is,but don't ever PHO.

[JIM F.]

Very nice. That toning spot makes it a "pooping buffalo" variety!

 

[Kurtdog]

This 1915 has been graded MS-66 by PCGS but it's just the technical grade

 

I don't know about that. This is from PCGS:

 

market grading

A numerical grade that matches the grade at which a particular coin generally is traded in the marketplace. The grading standard used by PCGS.

 

At any rate, great coin, great strike (especially for that date) and great color, too! (thumbs u

[WoodenJefferson]

Minty fresh!

 

Fabulous!

[coinman_23885]

Kurtdog is correct that PCGS and NGC both market grade, and it is not unusual for a superbly toned coin, or one with superior luster, strike, etc., to receive a one point increase for eye appeal. I think it's deceptive and that only the technical grade should be included, allowing the collector to draw his or her own conclusions, but it is the way things are. With this said, I think this coin is a MS66 from a technical perspective.

[Elbesaar]

 

I never see Buffalos like that for sale.

 

Amazing coin - absolutely love it !!

[jom]

From what I can tell from the photo I don't see any reason why this coins can't "technically" grade MS66 as well.

 

I can see where Coinman is coming from and a lot of people think that way. The problem (or rather the reality) is that the TPGs are trying to be the know-all-end-all of the coin market. They seem to want to cover all bases and leave nothing for the collectors to "draw their own conclusion". This can be helpful but I think in many cases (personally, I think in most cases) this hurts as it creates too many situations where a collector is dependent on the TPG.

 

As an example: I've always felt it would be beneficial to have LESS MS grades. Not more like we have now with stickers and "+" signs and other non-sense. Let the market decide the inbetweens. Same with the strike designations...let the market decide whether a coin is worthy or FB or whatever. But NOOOOOOO...can't have that. We have to pay for someone else to tell us what to think.

 

 

I suppose I'm in the minority here....that's OK. I can still just buy the coin not the holder....

 

jom

[coinman_23885]

From what I can tell from the photo I don't see any reason why this coins can't "technically" grade MS66 as well.

 

I can see where Coinman is coming from and a lot of people think that way. The problem (or rather the reality) is that the TPGs are trying to be the know-all-end-all of the coin market. They seem to want to cover all bases and leave nothing for the collectors to "draw their own conclusion". This can be helpful but I think in many cases (personally, I think in most cases) this hurts as it creates too many situations where a collector is dependent on the TPG.

 

As an example: I've always felt it would be beneficial to have LESS MS grades. Not more like we have now with stickers and "+" signs and other non-sense. Let the market decide the inbetweens. Same with the strike designations...let the market decide whether a coin is worthy or FB or whatever. But NOOOOOOO...can't have that. We have to pay for someone else to tell us what to think.

 

 

I suppose I'm in the minority here....that's OK. I can still just buy the coin not the holder....

 

jom

 

I don't think you are in the minority; I agree with everything you said except for having fewer MS grades. I too, as indicated in my previous post, think the coin is a technical MS66. I too disagree with market grading; the collector should be able to draw his or her own conclusions about eye appeal and any premium, if any.

[jom]

I don't think you are in the minority; I agree with everything you said except for having fewer MS grades.

 

I'll agree to disagree. To me, having fewer grades allows the collector draw their own conclusion and pay the premium. It also might do away with the over-grading. If the TPGs don't have to be so precise then less burden on them.

 

However, what I suggest will never happen because the TPGs WANT the burden. How else will they be able to charge their absurd prices for their services? It puts them at the forefront of the whole market....

 

jom

[Buffalo Head]

From what I can tell from the photo I don't see any reason why this coins can't "technically" grade MS66 as well.

 

I can see where Coinman is coming from and a lot of people think that way. The problem (or rather the reality) is that the TPGs are trying to be the know-all-end-all of the coin market. They seem to want to cover all bases and leave nothing for the collectors to "draw their own conclusion". This can be helpful but I think in many cases (personally, I think in most cases) this hurts as it creates too many situations where a collector is dependent on the TPG.

 

As an example: I've always felt it would be beneficial to have LESS MS grades. Not more like we have now with stickers and "+" signs and other non-sense. Let the market decide the inbetweens. Same with the strike designations...let the market decide whether a coin is worthy or FB or whatever. But NOOOOOOO...can't have that. We have to pay for someone else to tell us what to think.

 

 

I suppose I'm in the minority here....that's OK. I can still just buy the coin not the holder....

 

jom

 

I wouldn't compain if this coin received a P/L as it really does look like a proof, but they don't EVER do that for buffs, at least I've never seen one.....Joe

[jom]

I wouldn't compain if this coin received a P/L as it really does look like a proof, but they don't EVER do that for buffs, at least I've never seen one.....Joe

 

I'm sure you wouldn't. But I don't think the TPG's give that designation for Buffalo nickels...at least not ones from the teens. To me, a PL coins is one that has that mirrored look without the actual proof STRIKE and these Buffs don't come mirrored.

 

So this coins is either just a business strike OR it's an actual proof....which should be apparent if you know how to tell such things....

 

jom

[physics-fan3.14]

There is a single PL Buffernick graded by NGC, a 1936 graded MS-63PL. I've never seen it before, but would very much like to.

 

The thing is - PL is about reflectivity, and most of the proof Buffaloes were not of the brilliant type. The steeply basined and textured dies were not polished before use, re-basining apparently did not happen such as with the Morgan, and repolishing did not produce the fields the way they did on shallower coins of the next era.

 

All of the Renaissance Era coinage is excrutiatingly difficult to find in prooflike, if not impossible. There are 4 Walking Liberty halves so graded, zero Standing Lib Quarters, I believe a single St. Gaudens. Luckily the Merc is plentiful in PL, but this era is going to be by far the most difficult to complete my set (indeed, I'm trying to think of viable alternatives to PL coins, because this era just does not come with prooflike qualities).

[No+4Me]

Joe, that Buff is "all there" congrats!

[KLS-migration]

I buy boxes of coins from my bank and I have gotten several Indian head nickels, but with the exception of one, (1935) the dates have worn off. Is there any way to raise the date, and if not, do these coins have any other value, such as silver content? Thank you.

[RGT]

I buy boxes of coins from my bank and I have gotten several Indian head nickels, but with the exception of one, (1935) the dates have worn off. Is there any way to raise the date, and if not, do these coins have any other value, such as silver content? Thank you.

 

Welcome.

 

There is a product called Nic-A-Date that is an acid solution that will bring the date or other details back out on a nickel. Of course it is easily detected as a restored date and would have no value unless it was one of the scarcest dates where someone may want to use it as a filler. I've never used it but years ago I contemplated it as a "treasure hunting" activity, just for fun.

 

There is no silver in any of these coins but some people do pay a slight premium over face, even for the dateless coins. Maybe they want to do a little treasure hunting too.

[Buffalo Head]

There is a single PL Buffernick graded by NGC, a 1936 graded MS-63PL. I've never seen it before, but would very much like to.

 

The thing is - PL is about reflectivity, and most of the proof Buffaloes were not of the brilliant type. The steeply basined and textured dies were not polished before use, re-basining apparently did not happen such as with the Morgan, and repolishing did not produce the fields the way they did on shallower coins of the next era.

 

All of the Renaissance Era coinage is excrutiatingly difficult to find in prooflike, if not impossible. There are 4 Walking Liberty halves so graded, zero Standing Lib Quarters, I believe a single St. Gaudens. Luckily the Merc is plentiful in PL, but this era is going to be by far the most difficult to complete my set (indeed, I'm trying to think of viable alternatives to PL coins, because this era just does not come with prooflike qualities).

 

That's some real great information I've often wondered about, thanks. At any rate this Buff looks just as nice as it gets for the date.......Thanks for all of the positive comments.....Joe

[Kurtdog]

I buy boxes of coins from my bank and I have gotten several Indian head nickels, but with the exception of one, (1935) the dates have worn off. Is there any way to raise the date, and if not, do these coins have any other value, such as silver content? Thank you.

 

Welcome.

 

There is a product called Nic-A-Date that is an acid solution that will bring the date or other details back out on a nickel. Of course it is easily detected as a restored date and would have no value unless it was one of the scarcest dates where someone may want to use it as a filler. I've never used it but years ago I contemplated it as a "treasure hunting" activity, just for fun.

 

There is no silver in any of these coins but some people do pay a slight premium over face, even for the dateless coins. Maybe they want to do a little treasure hunting too.

White vinegar will turn up at least enough to make out a date, in most cases. Just drop it in and keep checking it every night. I use a glass jar because glass is inert in that it won't react with the coin. Both of these will turn up a mint mark, too, if one's there. The downside (as noted) is you can tell these have been worked. Specifically the acid will impart a smoothed-out look to the surface. Look at that as the trade-off to be able to see what you've got.

[acan451]

Hey Joe

The nicest Buff I have ever seen

Alan

[t-arc]

This coin looks better than many of the 1915 matte proofs I have seen.

What an outstanding type two buffalo

Tom

[coinquest1961-migration]

1915 Buffalos are among the 3 or 4 best produced coins in the entire series. Almost all show a full or near full strike and most are struck from fairly fresh dies.

 

That said-your coin is exceptional!

[t-arc]

This coin shown here would probably stand up to most pcgs and ngc ms67's. I would

hesitate to ever try to upgrade this coin. It just would not be worth the $$$.

tom

[t-arc]

This coin is absolutely a business strike, and they can be hard to

differentiate from the real matte proofs. I once owned a PL 1936

buff and it was fully prooflike. So I imagine there are more of them

around. Also there appears to be a single pair of prooflike dies

used to produce 1938-d buffs. When you see one of those it will

just reach out and grab you!

(And i almost forgot to mention the prooflike 1934-d buffs which

if you would disregard the mintmark, you might think your were

actually looking a a brilliant proof 1934 nickel. I have one of

these.)

tom

[Buffalo Head]

This coin is absolutely a business strike, and they can be hard to

differentiate from the real matte proofs. I once owned a PL 1936

buff and it was fully prooflike. So I imagine there are more of them

around. Also there appears to be a single pair of prooflike dies

used to produce 1938-d buffs. When you see one of those it will

just reach out and grab you!

(And i almost forgot to mention the prooflike 1934-d buffs which

if you would disregard the mintmark, you might think your were

actually looking a a brilliant proof 1934 nickel. I have one of

these.)

tom

 

I sure would like to see it. I have a 34-D that's surpurb and believe it or not I have a 1926-D with an obverse strike just as nice as any proof I've handled...

This 1915 MS-66 I'm kinda showing off here is one of the nicest ones I've ever seen in any grade. The details are just chissled and needle sharp and the luster with knock your eyes out. I'm not about to resubmit this piece as it's not important enought for me to have a "high grade" coin, in fact I never even thought about it. It's the eye appeal I'm after and this one has enough and then some, I'm satisfied.......Joe