How much is an acid date 1918-D, 8 0ver 7 nickel worth?

mr1931S

Is it a $500 coin? Less?

I found a raw one for sale. Definitely the real deal. The coin has uniform silvery-gray color front and back.

braddick

Photos are the only way to go.
I'll tell you what, I've seen these that are acid treated, and the way they were treated- the whole coin treated- they are not terrible looking, especially so with. a full visible date.
Others, where the date area only is treated, and it is a puke dark color with barely a date, are not so much.
$500. It does seem high, yet the problem; is free. These have shot up lately, so perhaps that price would be reasonable for the right coin.

Vetter

I just received one back from ANACS. Noted as acid treated date. AG3 details. Mine has a strong date. I too am curious as to what they are going for. eBay seems to be all over the place. I’m not sure if I would pay that much for a raw one.

braddick

Here is a terrific thread on this topic:
https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/979934/how-do-you-grade-and-acid-treated-or-acid-etched-buffalo-nickel/p1

mr1931S

The piece I saw offered was treated completely, front and back. Not a bad looking coin at all but I hesitate to plunk down the asking price of $500 for it.

crazyhounddog

It’s worth ZERO to me. I see it as a completely destroyed nickel with the acid.

MarkKelley

I realize this is an apples to oranges comparison but I sold an acid dated 1916 DDO for $650. It is a much rarer coin. I don't see a 1918/7-D being worth $500.

johnny9434

That's something I wouldn't mess with. Again if you like the see what seller would make a deal with you, best wishes

braddick

@crazyhounddog said:
It’s worth ZERO to me. I see it as a wholly destroyed nickel with the acid.

Does the same logic hold true with a 16/16? Not being argumentative, but I am inquisitive.

BuffaloIronTail

They are DAMAGED. I don't like them.

I would never even consider purchasing one.

To each his own, eh?

Pete

jesbroken

They were damaged beyond collecting for the hobby before the acid treatment. As I said before, a collectible could be identified whereas lost forever before the at. Many different collecting attitudes in the hobby. Might make someones day. If graded genuine then let the market decide its value.
Jim

amwldcoin

I sold 1 for around $300 not too long ago. The shame was it was probably a G6 before the acid. I struggled to get $300 for it.

mr1931S

I would pay $250-$300 for the piece but that's about it. I think $500 is a bit stiff. This coin was worth about $.10 before acid treatment. I wouldn't need TPG to tell me what I already know but understand some would need the comfort of TPG stamp of approval. I might even go for TPG assessment myself if guaranteed a CAC sticker. That's how nice this piece is.

mr1931S

I will only acid treat a Buffalo nickel if it has no trace of or barely discernible last two digits of date showing. A G6 acid treated? Astonishing. Would never happen with me at the controls.

Joey29

Can we see a photo of the coin

thebeav

I sold one for 250, many years ago though. So long ago that it had a fresh ANACS photo cert.

Joey29

@braddick said:

@crazyhounddog said:
It’s worth ZERO to me. I see it as a wholly destroyed nickel with the acid.

Does the same logic hold true with a 16/16? Not being argumentative, but I am inquisitive.

How do you arrive at zero. This is literally the poor man’s 1918/7 nickel and depending on how the date looks can be an excellent deal for a collector on a budget. Still a genuine coin just treated. Extreme position you take

HoledandCreative

Look at eBay sold for a value. Offer of $250 sounds very fair. Where are pictures?

rec78

I once started a buffalo nickel set for acid treated dates only. I did not get very far before I abandoned this idea.
$300-$400 sounds about right to me.

mr1931S

Can we see a photo of the coin

I do not have a photo available. I think I will offer $250 for it today and go up to $300 if I detect any interest in selling at a level I'm comfortable with. If I can manage to buy, I will post images of it.

mr1931S

How do you arrive at zero. This is literally the poor man’s 1918/7 nickel and depending on how the date looks can be an excellent deal for a collector on a budget. Still a genuine coin just treated. Extreme position you take

I agree. It's not like acid treating a dateless buffalo nickel is a crime against humanity.

Easy three step process for would-be buffalo nickel acid etchers to get best results:

1.Give the dateless nickel a bath in acetone and rinse thoroughly with distilled water before applying Date Restore to the piece. Rubbing the nickel at any time is not recommended. Acetone will remove any oils that might be present so that the etch with the acid will be more effective.

2. Apply Date Restore to the date and wait for the color of the chemical (Ferric Chloride) you've applied to the date to turn from its regular brown color to black.

3. Rinse the piece in water and see what you have as a result. If necessary, repeat step 2.

I prefer date treatment only and get good results. Others might like the look one can get from total immersion of the nickel in Date Restore. Definitely use acid resistant gloves if doing total immersion since you probably should hold the coin on its edge with your hands while the acid is doing its thing. Pay attention to the cautions on the bottle of Date Restore as it can cause burns to skin if handled carelessly. Change the rinse water after doing three pieces. I've found that treating three nickels at a time works pretty good.

I will try to post images here of some of my nicest date-restored-with-acid buffalo nickel pieces later today.

Joey29

@mr1874 said:
How do you arrive at zero. This is literally the poor man’s 1918/7 nickel and depending on how the date looks can be an excellent deal for a collector on a budget. Still a genuine coin just treated. Extreme position you take

I agree. It's not like acid treating a dateless buffalo nickel is a crime against humanity.

Easy three step process for would-be buffalo nickel acid etchers to get best results:

1.Give the dateless nickel a bath in acetone and rinse thoroughly with distilled water before applying Date Restore to the piece. Rubbing the nickel at any time is not recommended. Acetone will remove any oils that might be present so that the etch with the acid will be more effective.

2. Apply Date Restore to the date and wait for the color of the chemical (Ferric Chloride) you've applied to the date to turn from its regular brown color to black.

3. Rinse the piece in water and see what you have as a result. If necessary, repeat step 2.

I prefer date treatment only and get good results. Others might like the look one can get from total immersion of the nickel in Date Restore. Definitely use acid resistant gloves if doing total immersion since you probably should hold the coin on its edge with your hands while the acid is doing its thing. Pay attention to the cautions on the bottle of Date Restore as it can cause burns to skin if handled carelessly. Change the rinse water after doing three pieces. I've found that treating three nickels at a time works pretty good.

I will try to post images here of some of my nicest date-restored-with-acid buffalo nickel pieces later today.

Yes please post your best photos.

ricko

Acid treatment is altered surface - intentional alteration and the same as cleaning or tooling. Coin collecting is not like playing horseshoes... Either it is or it is not. Cheers, RickO

OnWithTheHunt

Used to sell my dateless mintmarked Buffalos for 60 cents apiece to a guy who restored the whole coin and sold the better dates on eBay. Occasionally the overdate would turn up and he'd get $250-300 for them, cutting me in for $50. Sadly, he's no longer doing it.

Zoins

@crazyhounddog said:
It’s worth ZERO to me. I see it as a wholly destroyed nickel with the acid.

@Joey29 said:
How do you arrive at zero. This is literally the poor man’s 1918/7 nickel and depending on how the date looks can be an excellent deal for a collector on a budget. Still a genuine coin just treated. Extreme position you take

The key is "to me". "ZERO to me" simply means @crazyhounddog has no interest in the coin, which I can see given the buffalos he posts!

In general, I can see a coin being worth zero to someone if they don't want to own it for their collection and don't want to own it to sell.

This doesn't preclude the coin being worth some non-zero amount to someone else.

braddick

A tooled Chain Cent.
A cleaned 1893-S Morgan dollar.
A 1901-S Barber quarter with a hole.
A 1955/55 Lincoln cent that has been whizzed.
Obviously, these coins are cut drastically in value.
But down to zero? That is being a bit overly dramatic.

MasonG

@Zoins said:
In general, I can see a coin being worth zero to someone if they don't want to own it for their collection and don't want to own it to sell.

This doesn't preclude the coin being worth some non-zero amount to someone else.

If someone is asking how much something is worth, they mean how much to someone who would be a potential buyer, not to someone who has no interest in the coin at all.

mr1931S

@ricko said:
Acid treatment is altered surface - intentional alteration and the same as cleaning or tooling. Coin collecting is not like playing horseshoes... Either it is or it is not. Cheers, RickO

Right. The choice for me comes down to accepting that the dateless, heavily worn nickel is worth a dime or maybe worth up to hundreds or maybe even $1000 (1916/16) if I can make the date see the light of day. My cheapest but nicest common date acid dates from the teens are worth about $1 apiece in my estimation. I've got three '15-S acid dates as we speak. I can get about $10 apiece for these on ebay if I offer them there. I have '13-S and '13-D type 2 acid dates that I can sell as a pair for about $60.Twenty cents worth of coins turned into $60 worth with no deception involved isn't too bad is it?

fathom

Save like heck for the G04.

ricko

@mr1874.... No argument there... Make money when and how you can... Cheers, RickO

braddick

Pedantic people correcting each other is an example of tautology.

PerryHall

Never acid date a 1916/16 nickel. It can be identified without the date showing and it can be slabbed without putting acid on the date. It's a doubled die obverse coin and doubling in the feathers is visible even after the date is gone. The dateless 1916 DDO in a slab is worth more without the acid treatment.

Davideo

I'd like to think the floor is at least 5 cents and not zero.

BuffaloIronTail

@braddick said:
Pedantic people correcting each other is an example of tautology.

Thank you Colonel Jessup.

Pete

mr1931S

@Davideo said:
I'd like to think the floor is at least 5 cents and not zero.

I've got one dateless buffalo that I hesitate to acid treat. It has so much wear that I think I will just let it be.

jesbroken

@rec78 said:
I once started a buffalo nickel set for acid treated dates only. I did not get very far before I abandoned this idea.
$300-$400 sounds about right to me.

Dang, that sounds like an idea. What made you quit? I have 3 or so rolls of buffs(mostly or all dateless). Might just do this. I assume they still sell Nic-O-Date, right?
Jim