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At what, if any, grade do Buffalo Nickels drop off in collector interest?

291fifth291fifth Posts: 24,597 ✭✭✭✭✭
in U.S. Coin Forum
Way back in late 1961 the Buffalo Nickel was the first coin I tried to collect as a date and mint set (from circulation, of course). My Whitman folder had some real gems ... OK, they weren't gems, on some you had to debate what the date/mm actually was because they were so worn but at least they weren't treated with Nic-A-Date.

Does anyone still collect low grade Buffalo nickels today? At what grading point does interest in the series start to drop off?
All glory is fleeting.

Comments

  • AMRCAMRC Posts: 4,280 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I would say below XF there is little interest, and even these have to be the scarcer dates.
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  • lasvegasteddylasvegasteddy Posts: 10,410 ✭✭✭
    to each collector...their own preference

    myself
    a high end variety would suit me fine in fine

    other then that
    ms or proof....i'm not into the numbers of ms or proof either
    as most toners don't carry lofty grades due to luster or frost being muted

    i'm happy with ms62's to ms64's....same with a proof...price point just makes sense for my skinny wallet
    some lower graded have better strikes then lofty cousins
    which is what i'm after...STRIKE....luster n frost takes second fiddle to me

    just so long as specks or spots aren't present or huge hits
    everything in life is but merely on loan to us by our appreciation....lose your appreciation and see


  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I keep all Buffalo nickels I come across.... my collection has some excellent slabbed coins.... but I just like the Buffs and keep them. Cheers, RickO
  • Walkerguy21DWalkerguy21D Posts: 11,629 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I'd say Fine and lower there is essentially no interest, some interest in VF's, and fairly strong interest in XF, AU, and MS.

    Successful BST transactions with 171 members. Ebeneezer, Tonedeaf, Shane6596, Piano1, Ikenefic, RG, PCGSPhoto, stman, Don'tTelltheWife, Boosibri, Ron1968, snowequities, VTchaser, jrt103, SurfinxHI, 78saen, bp777, FHC, RYK, JTHawaii, Opportunity, Kliao, bigtime36, skanderbeg, split37, thebigeng, acloco, Toninginthblood, OKCC, braddick, Coinflip, robcool, fastfreddie, tightbudget, DBSTrader2, nickelsciolist, relaxn, Eagle eye, soldi, silverman68, ElKevvo, sawyerjosh, Schmitz7, talkingwalnut2, konsole, sharkman987, sniocsu, comma, jesbroken, David1234, biosolar, Sullykerry, Moldnut, erwindoc, MichaelDixon, GotTheBug
  • TwoSides2aCoinTwoSides2aCoin Posts: 44,514 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Some still want dateless buffalo nickels. Was offered $.17 for each dateless buff I had. But, these are the kinds of items kids get, usually. And usually to spark interest.

    Others would use Nic-A-Date on them and then find the keys to sell on ebay. But I don't like messing with chemicals. And collectors, keep in mind , often have a limited budget for "coins" in this environment. At least gas is under $2 a gallon in some states of disrepair, but that's another story altogether.

    Collector interest doesn't drop off with a grade on these… it starts up without grades.
  • messydeskmessydesk Posts: 20,236 ✭✭✭✭✭
    There's an audience for every grade of Buffalo Nickels. It's approachable in low grade by beginning collectors looking to start an album while still being challenging in high grade for the well-heeled looking for a top quality registry set. Even dateless coins are sought by carvers.
    John
    Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
  • OldEastsideOldEastside Posts: 4,602 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>There's an audience for every grade of Buffalo Nickels. It's approachable in low grade by beginning collectors looking to start an album while still being challenging in high grade for the well-heeled looking for a top quality registry set. Even dateless coins are sought by carvers. >>




    This pretty much

    Steve
    Promote the Hobby
  • winkywinky Posts: 1,671 ✭
    VF30 and above are OK for me because I like to see the date.
  • koynekwestkoynekwest Posts: 10,048 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I'd say generally coins with a full, clear date. Unless it's a key date, partial dated stuff is very difficult to sell.
  • koynekwestkoynekwest Posts: 10,048 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I'd say in general that anything with less than a full, clear date would have a very low interest rate. The top keys might have some demand with a partial date; anything else is very difficult to sell.
  • jedmjedm Posts: 3,137 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I really enjoyed putting together a set in VG-F and better back in the early 2000's. My last one was the 12S type 2 in Fine, bought in 2005.

    I was never interested in getting the 3 legged or overdates, just a fun set... I did have fun finding a few 2 feathers and traded a few here and there.

    At that grade level my interest certainly dropped off. I began to get more interested in Indian Head cents, I put the Nickels in a Dansco, hung onto it for 9 years and just sold it this last year.
  • ElcontadorElcontador Posts: 7,656 ✭✭✭✭✭
    You need a full horn for real interest and money on scarcer dates. Am thinking 24 S and the like.
    "Vou invadir o Nordeste,
    "Seu cabra da peste,
    "Sou Mangueira......."
  • ArizonaJackArizonaJack Posts: 4,029 ✭✭✭
    Agree with the full horn comment. If I were to build a set, this would be the barometer
    " YOU SUCK " Awarded 5/18/08
  • Type2Type2 Posts: 13,985 ✭✭✭✭✭
    It's all on the collector some like them slicks and some like them MS as long as you are happy with it then i'm happy with it. Just don't try to sell your slicks to me... image


    Hoard the keys.
  • nwcoastnwcoast Posts: 2,884 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Though the market for various grades may be more vibrant depending on the quality.
    And, I suspect that the market for 'full horn/full date' examples is stronger.
    There are some, myself included, that started their Buffalo sets, with lower quality examples- especially in the key dates.
    Though my set is complete- with the exception of the key overdate, i started off with some 1/3 horn examples in my first go around.
    I've been in the process of upgrading all these as time and funds permit. Currently my Dansco has a mix of Unc's, AU's and some half horns...
    It's a work in progress, and a fun and challenging one at that.
    I've drawn the line on only full dates from the start though! Full horns hascome later and NEVER any acid dates.

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

  • originalisbestoriginalisbest Posts: 5,971 ✭✭✭✭


    << <i>I'd say Fine and lower there is essentially no interest, some interest in VF's, and fairly strong interest in XF, AU, and MS. >>



    Since there's no interest in Fine and lower, I expect that means I can pick up a nice 21-s and 26-s in Fine for almost nothing? Great! I'll go looking.
  • Walkerguy21DWalkerguy21D Posts: 11,629 ✭✭✭✭✭
    There's essentially no interest in many things.....but that does not mean the owners will give them away.
    It also doesn't mean there isn't some price at which there will be an interest.
    Perhaps once you acquire your partial horn 26S, walk it around a show like FUN and see what kind of offers you get for it.
    Successful BST transactions with 171 members. Ebeneezer, Tonedeaf, Shane6596, Piano1, Ikenefic, RG, PCGSPhoto, stman, Don'tTelltheWife, Boosibri, Ron1968, snowequities, VTchaser, jrt103, SurfinxHI, 78saen, bp777, FHC, RYK, JTHawaii, Opportunity, Kliao, bigtime36, skanderbeg, split37, thebigeng, acloco, Toninginthblood, OKCC, braddick, Coinflip, robcool, fastfreddie, tightbudget, DBSTrader2, nickelsciolist, relaxn, Eagle eye, soldi, silverman68, ElKevvo, sawyerjosh, Schmitz7, talkingwalnut2, konsole, sharkman987, sniocsu, comma, jesbroken, David1234, biosolar, Sullykerry, Moldnut, erwindoc, MichaelDixon, GotTheBug
  • originalisbestoriginalisbest Posts: 5,971 ✭✭✭✭
    But that just comes down to buy/sell spreads and how skilled you are at negotiation. If I get a lowish offer for a partial horn 26-s, that may be fine by me, if I bought it right. Though a 26-s in sharp xf would generate more attention & higher offers, it would likely also generate more tire kicking, and every reason under the sun why it's not as nice as i thought, and not worth as much as i want. Sound familiar if you've ever tried to shop an expensive piece?
  • Walkerguy21DWalkerguy21D Posts: 11,629 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i> it would likely also generate more tire kicking, and every reason under the sun why it's not as nice as i thought, and not worth as much as i want. >>


    LOL - that is very true!

    Successful BST transactions with 171 members. Ebeneezer, Tonedeaf, Shane6596, Piano1, Ikenefic, RG, PCGSPhoto, stman, Don'tTelltheWife, Boosibri, Ron1968, snowequities, VTchaser, jrt103, SurfinxHI, 78saen, bp777, FHC, RYK, JTHawaii, Opportunity, Kliao, bigtime36, skanderbeg, split37, thebigeng, acloco, Toninginthblood, OKCC, braddick, Coinflip, robcool, fastfreddie, tightbudget, DBSTrader2, nickelsciolist, relaxn, Eagle eye, soldi, silverman68, ElKevvo, sawyerjosh, Schmitz7, talkingwalnut2, konsole, sharkman987, sniocsu, comma, jesbroken, David1234, biosolar, Sullykerry, Moldnut, erwindoc, MichaelDixon, GotTheBug
  • originalisbestoriginalisbest Posts: 5,971 ✭✭✭✭
    I find that to be the case anyway. image One thing about low-value coins, they're only worth so much in retail, so if you have a firm grip on reality (don't think they're worth a fortune) they can be bought/sold with a minimum of fuss. Get more expensive, and suddenly there's a lot more room for error. Bullion is also pleasant to buy/sell for similar reasons... it is what it is and you could look it up.
  • 291fifth291fifth Posts: 24,597 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>But that just comes down to buy/sell spreads and how skilled you are at negotiation. If I get a lowish offer for a partial horn 26-s, that may be fine by me, if I bought it right. Though a 26-s in sharp xf would generate more attention & higher offers, it would likely also generate more tire kicking, and every reason under the sun why it's not as nice as i thought, and not worth as much as i want. Sound familiar if you've ever tried to shop an expensive piece? >>



    Badmouthing coins is a numismatic art form.
    All glory is fleeting.

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