I found my first semi-key buffalo at work yesterday

tydye

I find wheats all the time, the occasional silver, buffalos (usually slicks) and even some indians. But this I believe is my first mint marked buffalo. Little hard to read but it is a 1923-S - even has a planchet flaw. I must of received it in payment during the course of the day. Because I searched the till when I first opened for the day and all that was there was the 2 wheats. Then when I was closing up I noticed the 2 nickels.

kaz

That's a cool find, especially with the planchet flaws. What are the chances of that happening?

SeaEagleCoins

Nice score, Mike... looks like the Indian and the Buffalo got a little too close to Area 51 or something... but very cool looking...

morganbarber

Definately the coolest find posted in a while. Thanks for sharing it.

MsMorrisine

RedTiger

Congrats on the find. I do wonder about the other side of the equation, about some collector who likely had their collection raided either by their own relatives or by thieves. There is a small chance the coin was spent deliberately, but theft is a much more common reason.

intence

sweet

tydye

I doubt they were stolen. Most of my customers are 50+ - pharmacy.

I also doubt that kids today do much stealing of change. Most kids I know literally throw the small stuff away. About a year ago a friend's car was broken into - she had some paper money in the console stolen but the change was left (and there was lots of it - nearly $20) We counted it as we were amazed they smashed the windows but left a cupful of change there.
I myself have little regard for the cent and find it a nuisance at work. Outside the collecting realm of it that is.

Shamika

Nice find. Planchet flaws are not uncommon for this date/mm.

Bochiman

Too many folks seem to always assumes that "old" coinage that is spent is stolen.
To a non-collector, what is an old buffalo nickel really worth? What about a wheat penny?

Call someone in the yellow pages who advertises that they are a coin shop, or that they buy coins, and see what they tell you for an offer....then factor in gas/time.
What is it worth then, most likely?

Even if it were a silver half/quarter/dime in heavily circulated condition. Say it's worth 11x face, or so......and say that you only have 1 or 2 of them. What's your time/gas worth compared to what you would get for the metal content?

Unless it was a nice size hoard of silver coins, particularly in nice condition, I wouldn't jump on the "collection got raided/stolen" kick too quickly.

Nice finds.

Cam40

thats the weirdest looking horn i`ve ever seen on a buffalo nickel.

dorkkarl

that kicks, nice!!!

K S