why do coin professionals dissuade beginners from collecting buffalo nickels in low grade?

1907Quarter

Is it that their eye appeal(i.e. very soft date)turns the collector off?

braddick

I haven't so much heard that, but if accurate- it might be because a bump up in grade is much more appealing in that series and not a ton more money. A lot of detail is lost on the Buffalo nickel in grades less than VG08.
When it comes time to sell a set of Buffalo's the owner will do much better for himself overall if he has a set in FN12 or so rather than AG's/GD's.
-That rule also applies to Barber halves and really most if not all series!

darktone

yes the common dates in low grade are very cheap so it only makes sense to go with a higher grade for a little more money but I don't think it would hurt to buy the 18 over 17 in low grade. mike

dragon

1907Q,

I don't know who told you that, but it's not true. Buffs in any grade are cool coins, and very collectable, from VG all the way up to MS67. Just buy what appeals to you and what you like, not what some guy tells you you're supposed to like or collect.

Dragon

lordmarcovan

<< <i>why do coin professionals dissuade beginners from collecting buffalo nickels in low grade? >>



Because nobody can make any money selling low grade Buffaloes for a few cents. Far better to sell the high grade ones.

Nickelchaser

I agree with Dragon. I had a lot of fun putting together my first complete
problem free Buffalo nickel set in G - VG. I don't think I'll ever sell it but a couple of
collector friends want first dibs if I do. So it seems there is still a strong market
for buffalo nickel collections even in the lower grades.

Brian

keithdagen

My guess might be that some poeple might try to pass off weak dates as keys when in reality, they are common date examples, and a new collector may not know the diagnostics of the coin and know what to look for in determining partial dates.