russ's Question about the 1936 proof Buffalo featured in the PCGS grading guide

dorkkarl

<< <i>Hi David,

On page C-21 there is a beautifully toned 1936 proof Buffalo nickel described as "this coin has it all". As an aside, I saw this coin featured on the dealer ID tags at a show I attended. Anyway, I digress.

There is some speculation that this nickel was doctored by the fellow out of IL that you had mentioned in another Q&A thread. Is this true?

Thanks,

Russ, NCNE

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The nickel in question is gorgeous to be sure. The question is whether the toning is real or the work of the nickel toning artist out of the MidWest. I have seen original toned Buffs in the old days...i.e. 1960s and 1970s...that looked like this. And I have seen the artist's work and it also looks something like this. The way I think you can kind of tell is to examine the coin very closely. The AT jobs have some rub or minor problems that the color covers up. The typical Buffalo I've seen is a 64 coin that looks 65, 66, or 67 at first glance. The coin in question looks like it could be OK. And the only way to tell would be to look at the actual coin. I would not believe the coin is bad even if the artist himself "admitted" he did it, because there is no way of knowing whether he would be telling the truth, and in fact he would have some interest in saying he did even if he didn't, in order to confuse the issue.

Is it possible the coin picture in the PCGS grading book is AT...maybe. Can I say for sure it isn't...not without looking at the coin. Is the PCGS grading book a good resource..of course, and this one coin, good or bad, doesn't change that.

David >>



i contend that the coin in question is indeed the work of a well-known coin-doctor. over the past several years, i've had discussions w/ "insiders" (& i hate that term) that i would trust, & the best information i have is that is indeed a "laboratory rat"

K S

originalisbest

Interesting; I'm going to have another look at my copy of the book tonight. Fortunately, the coins I tend to favor are rarely of such a rareified grade or an intense coloration that they tend towards a "doctor" having taken a stab at them. Not that you don't need to be careful no matter what, nowadays.

BillJones

I'm not big on the colorful Proof buffalo nickels. I've owned a couple of pure white ones in PCGS PR-67, and I thought they were awesome.

There are two problems with AT pieces. First, you feel that have been had because the toning is fake. Second, the chemicals might continue to work on the piece and ruin it. Either way AT Proof buffaloes are no fun.

dorkkarl

billjones, i was told that cyanide gas at a specific temp. & concentration is used to tone buff's the way the 1 is in the book. outside the specific temp., etc, the cyanide is non-reactive, so the coin's tone would be stable

definitely not condoning the practice, but if the market demands a-t coins w/ stable toning, supply will rise to meet that demand

K S