Buffalo Nickel Experts...some questions on spots...

Gemini

Many uncirculated buffalo nickels can be found with tiny flecks or spots.
Many of these spots are not that noticable until magnified.
Some feel that these spots verifies the coins surface originality and that they haven't been cleaned or played with.

For the buffalo experts:
How do you feel about these spots? (more so on the scarcer dated buffaloes)
How much can they affect the grade and value?
Do you have any spotted buffaloes in your collection?
Is there any known successful treatment for removal or restoration of spotting or are they best left alone?
Any comments are appreciated.

Thanks Don

jeffnpcb

Considering the content of Buffalo nickles and the high content of copper, they are suffering from intergranular corrosion. When you see it on the service and depending on the blending of the alloys, it can worm its way through the coin. Noticed any greening is copper sulfating from the environment ussually with in a moist climate. You should see some of the coins in this salt air climate in the panhandle of Fla.
The down side there are several products that can address this problem, but they will completely alter the color of the whole coin. It is a multi-step process we use in the marine tech. field on cupro-nickle products. I guess if they are circulated coins, keep them in a cool dry enviroment. They will naturally attract more moisture and continue the process.
I guess, if the coin has a high value, you may want to send it to a coin conservatory company. If not, try to keep them cool and dry!

ANACONDA

"How do you feel about these spots? (more so on the scarcer dated buffaloes)"

Not good. The bigger and the more numerous and the more they contrast with the basic color of the coin, the more you should avoid
it. When you look at a coin, the feelings you have are what you should focus on. These feelings (joy, lust, sadness) are created by
color, strike, spots and price. Focus on these feelings. Any sadness producing coins should be avoided.

"How much can they affect the grade and value?"

For smart collectors, investors and hybrids, spots can be death. One big spot in the wrong place and the coin is bluesheet fodder or
worse.

Do you have any spotted buffaloes in your collection?

Many coins have spots of one kind or another. So, yes however, none that most people would call "spotted".

The Is there any known successful treatment for removal or restoration of spotting or are they best left alone?

Personally, fixing problems is best accomplished by not buying problem coins. However, spots can develop on coins when saliva from
the graders ("Hey Mike, pass me the chips...") lands on them and becomes visible months and years later.

I would send them to NCS for an evaluation. If they're cheap coins, i would place them on railroad tracks over night. That usually gets
rid of the spots.

adrian