Has anyone ever seen a strike like this on a 1915 buffalo nickel, a real monster to say the least.
BUFFNIXX
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Please comment on the strike of this coin, I have never seen 1915 struck like this one!
Collector of Buffalo Nickels and other 20th century United States Coinage
a.k.a "The BUFFINATOR"
a.k.a "The BUFFINATOR"
17
Comments
Amazing!
Yes a monster strike
BHNC #203
Talk about a full strike. Details galore. Peace Roy
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Definitely well struck.
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That is an amazing Buff nickel.... Incredible strike. Would love to have that one in my herd. Cheers, RickO
Although David Lange says that "1915(P) nickels are among the most sharply struck coins in the series." I have never seen one as sharply struck as this one. Perhaps a used proof die struck this coin. That is a truly special coin in my opinion. Congrats on a great addition to your collection. Thank you for sharing.
Jim
When a man who is honestly mistaken hears the truth, he will either quit being mistaken or cease to be honest....Abraham Lincoln
Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.....Mark Twain
Correct 1915 are hammered buffalos ...however this seller "buyer beware!" Its a known fact that this seller buys problem coins at shows ,and doctors images. I have had several friends burned!
I returned a cleaned 37 D 3 legger to them years ago.
My take its a crap shoot...you may get lucky ....you may get crap! Pass 12 negative 27 neutral feed back....need I say more?
"That's why I wander and follow La Vie Dansante"
I bid some on that, but decided probably altered surface as even the rim is mottled. Did you get it and thinking proof?
Something about it looks off to me. I'm not saying the coin is no good, but the photos are weird.
Collector, occasional seller
THIS!!!🤔
I don't think I've ever seen a more detailed picture.
Note that I said PICTURE.
Perfect!
Just like Nomad told Kirk: "The creation of perfection is no error".
I wish I had the words........................................
Pete
I've never saw so much detail on the Feathers, Hair, or Braid on the Obverse and likewise on the Reverse even on Proofs it must be an Enhanced Photo IMO. Sad if it is Buyers Beware you get what you pay for!!!
I knew that date comes sharp, but not like that. Could even be the lighting accentuating it. Like others have already said, buyer beware.
10-4,
My Instagram picturesErik
My registry sets
I like the coin but use caution
I wouldn’t buy anything this seller offers. They are well know for selling problem coins.
That’s a fact.
From the pictures, I would buy it.
From the good comments on here, I would not.
Another lesson as why I need to do more research before buying or bidding on a coin.
Wayne
Kennedys are my quest...
I see a coin thats the image has been juiced darker there are numerous carbon spots on both the obv.and rev.
If you never had to deal with carbon spots yes you can soak the coin they will turn brown from black ,and over time come back even larger.
Years ago I sent a buffalo raw into a TPG it was a 36 s/s beatiful coin not a spot on it and over time the spots surfaced and stayed.
As Ron a buffalo expert about this coin....I bet he wouldn't give it a second look...
As a nickel collector I can assure these spots on a coin kills its value. A many a nickel that looked good in a case when examining in hand Ive passed on due to just 1 spot.....if theres 1 theres more to come.
"That's why I wander and follow La Vie Dansante"
I have not had good luck with this seller
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Beautiful
It almost looks like a a Dan Carr special tribute coin!
Looks like it was just made today.
"Jesus died for you and for me, Thank you,Jesus"!!!
--- If it should happen I die and leave this world and you want to remember me. Please only remember my opening Sig Line.Now if you think carbon spots cant get worse .....take a look they are still coming to the surface over the dome.
"That's why I wander and follow La Vie Dansante"
I don't know how this less than honest seller can manipulate an image to show a strike like that but I think that's what's been done here.
I have seen a 1913-D Var 1, a 1914-S, a 1915-S, and a 1916-S struck like that, tho.
I have had good luck with GSC, buying PCGS items.
I've always heard that their pictures are enhanced (somehow) - but even with a little "juicing" that still has to be a pretty well struck Buffalo.......
"When they can't find anything wrong with you, they create it!"
(Spidey senses tingling)
I once bought a 1913 ty.1 buff so-called "gem unc" from them that pcgs graded proof-64 and....
I once bought a 1915 buff so-called "gem unc" from them that pcgs graded proof-64 and....
last but not least a 1916 buff so-called "gem unc" from the same guys that pcgs graded proof-65.
And I do believe that they juice some of their pics. Will give my opinion on this coin when it arrives.
Strike so sharp on this one it reminds me of the 1921 buffalo that was struck from a unique obverse die that
was heavily re-engraved to make the central details more sharp. Even now you can tell the date of a dateless
1921 buffalo nickel just by looking at the central obverse details. I picked up a nice dateless 21s once like this.
And then in 1923 the mint went back to the same obverse die they were using in 1920 so it left the 21 as sort of
a unique type, though not collected as such.
a.k.a "The BUFFINATOR"
you might have made a big score, or paid a couple hundred too much
I did notice the following in Legends upcoming sale, and see similarities ... (apologies to all going to bid on Legends)
https://hibid.com/lot/97055232/5c-1913-type-1--pcgs-pr68-cac/?q=&g=all-categories&ipp=100&ref=catalog
I know exactly how they do it. They use one single light at 12:00 . This will cast hard shadows over the coin and then, presto, Voilà You have a coin that looks way better struck than it really is. It’s an old trick and GSC uses it exclusively. I’ll stand by this statement as fact.
I think I see a fifth leg!
The image may have had contrast enhancement and other processing, but that is not going to increase the design details. So it is definitely a very strong strike from fresh dies.
The surfaces look a bit shiny, and I would guess that it has been subjected to some cleaning and/or burnishing.
Look forward to your pics of this coin. If they are anywhere near comparable to these photos, then you got a heckuva coin. Can't wait until you receive it.
Jim
When a man who is honestly mistaken hears the truth, he will either quit being mistaken or cease to be honest....Abraham Lincoln
Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.....Mark Twain
Be sure to let us know what you have.
Great job with the digital editing software. Shading the various details makes this look like a proof coin! This coin must look completely different in hand.
Is this the same dealer that sells gold coins and shows a beautiful example with Random Year stamped over the date?
Buffnixx can pick with the best of ‘em. Subscribed
I'd like to see close-ups of two details that I'm not going to get to see. I just checked several HA Archive images of proofs to retune my memory banks.
The lighting (or adjustments to it) may be creating shadowy depths where there are none, but the detail matches up with nothing I can imagine for a business strike. Proof or WTF?
Yup
The coin shows signs of cleaning. That’s on top of the trick photography to make this coin look better than it is, it’s been cleaned. It also might be AU. I see whispers of rub on the hipbone and flank area and then look at the Bisons ear. It’s awfully flat. This is another area to look for wear or rub. The coin is not a proof coin. The rims are nowhere near as sharp as they should be inside and out. Many buffalo nickels from this year were stuck with proof dies. This is a fact. This Buff looks like it was one of the earlier strikes from the proof dies.
I see it as an AU business strike coin that has been cleaned.
Good luck
I wouldn't argue with cleaning. Just not relevant except in ways it might change reflectivity or obscure die markers.
I also see the color changes you interpret as rub, and I concur. Again, not the issue (as it's evolved)
What are your diagnostics for proof dies?
Find me an MS coin from the Heritage Archives either with those die markers or that strike.
This surely IS a trap
Hopefully not for me. @CaptHenway and I know the die markers for this particular date quite well
I've done this work 40+ years. If you want to contradict me, post a picture that proves me wrong. 1915 MS holder with that strike!! Les joue sont fait Otherwise, get off my lawn.
.deleted
Impaired matte proof?
Danger, Danger Will Robinson !
Kind of reminds me of the 1921 obverse die which was only used for this one year. Deeply engraved central obverse details.
a.k.a "The BUFFINATOR"
The obverse details of the 1921 above the "knot" and the date numerals, especially the two "1s" are unique to this year.
Here are images from my book on the striking characteristics of the series first published in 2006-
Serifs on the ones. Different shapes on the "9" and "2."
No serifs on the ones-
Totally different braid detail-1921
Braid detail-1913-1920 and 1923-1938.
The difference can be seen even in the macro photos. I, too, have cherried several 1921-S dateless and coins with a very weak date using this feature alone.
Another detail difference occurred midway thru the series when the relation of the date to the final digit of the date and the braid ribbon was changed, as part of the reworking of the obverse master die in 1926. Note how the last digit lies next to the ribbon in 1925 and on top of the ribbon in 1926. This holds true for all the post 1925 dates except the 1931-S and the 1935.
1925
1926
So no one has anything else to say about the 1915 nickel, right?
OK -- here is a toner 1938d buffalo which I got from same seller as the above 1915 nickel and guess what, there is
no nice toning on the coin at all. So I do not have such high hopes for this 1915 which is on the way. This 1938d
must have had its image altered in some way. But why mess around with a 1938-d buff?
(see my comments above in this posting)
a.k.a "The BUFFINATOR"
To mess with the images is this seller's second nature, no matter what the coin.
The 1915 seems to show the die line on the rev rim at about 8 that is associated with proofs... I think.
If you can see that line ... from about 7:45 to 8:30, that is the more easily seen of the two diagnostics. Perhaps you thunk rightly
...
Can you get a close-up of the top half of the "D" in "UNITED"?. There is a small triangular die-chip coming almost straight out the back of the letter at the very top. Tilts very slight up.
Proof, altered surfaces.
That would be happy
I think a few business strikes also show that line due to the use of a proof die to strike coins for circulation once it was unsuitable for striking more proofs. I also think this line is seen on several dates, not just the 1915. It would also seem to me if proof dies were, indeed, used to strike circulation coins that die markers would be of limited use to identify proofs.
There are other ways to identify proofs.
I looked for the die line on the reverse rim and could not see it. There seems to be some sort of damage on the rim.
FWIW, I have never seen the die line in question on a non-Proof strike, though I would not rule out the possibility that an occasional rejected Proof might have been released among business strikes.
This coin will be in my mail tomorrow afternoon.
a.k.a "The BUFFINATOR"