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Grade this 1924-S Buffalo Nickel

OmegaraptorOmegaraptor Posts: 540 ✭✭✭✭✭
edited February 2, 2023 6:14PM in U.S. Coin Forum


So I purchased this 1924-S Buffalo Nickel for $25 as I did not have this date. Obverse is probably the nicest I’ll get for $25. Reverse is struck from probably one of the most worn dies I’ve ever seen used to strike a Buffalo Nickel.

How do I go about grading this coin? How would you grade it?

"You can't get just one gun." "You can't get just one tattoo." "You can't get just one 1796 Draped Bust Large Cent."

Comments

  • Walkerguy21DWalkerguy21D Posts: 11,527 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Wow, extreme example….I guess overall VG?

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  • jesbrokenjesbroken Posts: 10,108 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Someone smarter than I would have to set a for sure grade on it, as the obverse is VF20 and reverse is G06, at least to my way of thinking. I know that weak strikes can come into play by graders. I know that most books I have read told that this was hard to find in VF to AU and that VF required most of the horn to qualify, so I don't know what to tell you with your coins weak strike and its grade.
    Hopefully, Mark will chime in later.
    Jim


    When a man who is honestly mistaken hears the truth, he will either quit being mistaken or cease to be honest....Abraham Lincoln

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  • nwcoastnwcoast Posts: 2,880 ✭✭✭✭✭

    My guess would be somewhere in the 6-8 area.

    Happy, humble, honored and proud recipient of the “You Suck” award 10/22/2014

  • pursuitoflibertypursuitofliberty Posts: 7,061 ✭✭✭✭✭

    When I first saw the obverse, I thought "Oh my!"

    The reverse does leave something to be desired but I'm still trying to call it a Fine just the same, as I am not seeing as much wear as first appears on the reverse


    “We are only their care-takers,” he posed, “if we take good care of them, then centuries from now they may still be here … ”

    Todd - BHNC #242
  • TPRCTPRC Posts: 3,802 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I agree that it is an extreme example. But the 24-s comes with a weak horn. Still, I am a vg-8 or 10

    Tom

  • 291fifth291fifth Posts: 24,436 ✭✭✭✭✭

    VG. The reverse really drags it down.

    All glory is fleeting.
  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭

    The reverse appears to be a weak strike and very worn.... Probably around a 10... Cheers, RickO

  • OmegaraptorOmegaraptor Posts: 540 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited February 3, 2023 12:35PM

    Thank you for your opinions everyone. It's no secret that Buffalos are hard to grade and coins like this just make it harder. Definitely a learned skill. I have heard "60% obverse, 40% reverse", but I'm not sure if that's how TPGs do it.

    Either way, with this coin I now have 13-S T2, 18/7-D, 21-S, 24-S, and 26-S. Might as well stop putting off buying myself a Buffalo Dansco.

    "You can't get just one gun." "You can't get just one tattoo." "You can't get just one 1796 Draped Bust Large Cent."

  • DollarAfterDollarDollarAfterDollar Posts: 3,214 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Don't mean to be a Debbie downer but pics look so grainy and the obliterated MM suggest to me it's been whizzed. Hope I'm wrong.

    If you do what you always did, you get what you always got.
  • BUFFNIXXBUFFNIXX Posts: 2,718 ✭✭✭✭✭

    VG08. Bit of the horn show, and the LIBERTY is merging a bit into the rim. nice and clear date, reverse struck from a somewhat worn die. If you did a split grade on it, you could call the obverse VG10 and the reverse G04 as the reverse die
    is on the worn-out side. But no matter what you call it is a solid good to very good coin.

    Collector of Buffalo Nickels and other 20th century United States Coinage
    a.k.a "The BUFFINATOR"
  • OnWithTheHuntOnWithTheHunt Posts: 1,238 ✭✭✭✭✭

    VG 8-10

    Proud recipient of the coveted "You Suck Award" (9/3/10).
  • Cougar1978Cougar1978 Posts: 8,400 ✭✭✭✭✭

    VG / don’t use grade numbers on raw coins. Just do it like the ole days.

    Coins & Currency
  • FrazFraz Posts: 2,118 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I failed. Thanks for the schooling.

  • ElcontadorElcontador Posts: 7,558 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Looks like an acid dipped VG.

    "Vou invadir o Nordeste,
    "Seu cabra da peste,
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  • BuffaloIronTailBuffaloIronTail Posts: 7,486 ✭✭✭✭✭

    When I first saw the obverse I instantly thought VF.

    Then I saw the reverse. Worn die. Clashed. Bummer.

    But I'm not surprised. In the Buffalo world this coin would be par for the course on worn dies.

    I have to give it a VG-10 for the stronger obverse. The reverse knocks it down at least one whole grade. This coin usually comes with a flat feather out of the box.

    It's part of the reason why (scarce anyway) 1924-S Buffs are hard to find above F-15.

    Pete

    "I tell them there's no problems.....only solutions" - John Lennon
  • OmegaraptorOmegaraptor Posts: 540 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Would love to hear from EZV.

    "You can't get just one gun." "You can't get just one tattoo." "You can't get just one 1796 Draped Bust Large Cent."

  • dsessomdsessom Posts: 2,427 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I am fairly decent at grading many series of US coinage, but Buffalo nickels have always stumped me. I know the '24-S is a tough date. Anything over EF/XF and you are easily north of $1,000. For what you paid, I would be very happy with it though!

    Best regards,
    Dwayne F. Sessom
    Ebay ID: V-Nickel-Coins
  • OmegaraptorOmegaraptor Posts: 540 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @dsessom said:
    I am fairly decent at grading many series of US coinage, but Buffalo nickels have always stumped me. I know the '24-S is a tough date. Anything over EF/XF and you are easily north of $1,000. For what you paid, I would be very happy with it though!

    Yeah many of these teens/twenties mintmarked Buffaloes have big price jumps from F to VF. I think a lot of that stems from the old “full horn required for VF” convention.

    There are a lot of 24-S (and other date) nickels in PCGS and NGC VF holders that have partial horns because of weak reverse strikes and worn dies. These generally trade at a discount to VF “book price”, AFAIK.

    "You can't get just one gun." "You can't get just one tattoo." "You can't get just one 1796 Draped Bust Large Cent."

  • BuffaloIronTailBuffaloIronTail Posts: 7,486 ✭✭✭✭✭

    On 24-S, 26S, and 21-S the horn just disappears and is weal from the press. Worse than that, 24-D has a flat top feather which affects the horn.
    I have never seen a 1924-D Buff with a fully rendered top feather. It's even lacking on high-grade coins.

    For some reason known only to the die and planchet Gods, 24-D does sometimes show up with a full horn, and when it does, plan to fork out over 220..00 bucks for it in XF.

    Everyone seems to talk about the strike on the 1926-D Buff. Oh yeah, it's bad. But look at 1920-S and cringe. Smeary, half- visible detail "out of focus" reverses from overused dies are a bad testament to a storied Branch Mint.

    I'm ranting. I'm sliding off subject.

    Time to quit.

    Pete

    "I tell them there's no problems.....only solutions" - John Lennon
  • Steven59Steven59 Posts: 8,967 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Obverse looks maybe F12 but reverse looks G04 - Net G06

    "When they can't find anything wrong with you, they create it!"

  • crazyhounddogcrazyhounddog Posts: 13,996 ✭✭✭✭✭

    In my opinion it looks as something has happened to the surfaces of the coin. I can't put my finger on it as it seems very grainy. To me it looks to be either acid treated, or it is environmentally damaged. My vote is no grade for these reasons.

    The bitterness of "Poor Quality" is remembered long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.
  • cladkingcladking Posts: 28,701 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited February 8, 2023 5:53PM

    My understanding was that this would grade F- or VG+ but I have no experience with a coin like this.

    I don't believe there's anything wrong with the coin that wasn't wrong when it was minted except the darkness on the reverse and the spot near the leg. .

    Tempus fugit.
  • OldIndianNutKaseOldIndianNutKase Posts: 2,708 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Good. Thought VG from the obverse but the reverse is only marginally Good. I do downgrade weakly struck coins. I do not believe worn dies should be forgiven in the grading process.

  • ShamikaShamika Posts: 18,785 ✭✭✭✭

    Worn reverse dies are common for the 24-S. I like the coin and would grade it a solid FINE.

    Buyer and seller of vintage coin boards!
  • fathomfathom Posts: 1,762 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Worn dies or not, the reverse looks too grainy and mushy.

    Big time thumbs down on eye appeal.

  • telephoto1telephoto1 Posts: 4,934 ✭✭✭✭✭

    VG10. Typical look for a lower end circ from this timeframe.


    RIP Mom- 1932-2012

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