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CoinWorld: Hobo nickels sell for $170,000
Goldbully
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I had no idea this type of coin could command such a premium!!
Hobo nickels sell for $170,000
Frost Collection totals 218 pieces
| May 22, 2012 10:00 a.m.
It is likely that this two-design hobo nickel, part of the recently sold Frost Collection,
was carved from a 1919 Indian Head 5-cent coin. The Indian Head has been converted
to a bearded man wearing a hat, with KARASHAW inscribed to the right, and H.C.A. where the
date would normally appear. The reverse has the bison fashioned into a horse or donkey,
with the inscribed date of 1919, the denomination 10 KOPECKS and the word BOLSHEVIKI.
All images by Todd Pollock, courtesy of www.bluccphotos.com
************************************************************************************************************************************
A collection of 218 hobo nickels was purchased May 11 in Denver for $170,000 by Tiburon, Calif., collector Candace DeMarco Kagin.
Nearly a third of the total were carved by premier hobo artists Bertram “Bert” Weigand and his protege, George Washington “Bo” Hughes, who practiced the art form from about 1913 to the mid-20th century.
The private treaty transaction was brokered during the American Numismatic Association National Money Show by H. Robert Campbell, president of All About Coins in Salt Lake City.
Campbell represented the seller of the collection, Larry Frost, of Park City, Utah.
Frost had purchased nearly 60 original hobo nickels from Campbell some 15 years ago that formed the basis of Frost’s collection. Frost continued to add to his collection pieces that Campbell located for him.
Hobo nickels are usually Indian Head 5-cent coins, commonly called “Buffalo nickels,” that are pieces of American folk art, having had their devices reshaped. The artists modifying the coins use a variety of techniques to reshape the metal, including carving or punched with various tools.
The artists transfer the Indian Head obverse, Bison reverse or both sides into a wide range of fanciful and realistic designs.
The Indian Head is often seen converted into another portrait or converted into an image of a woman, by moving around and reshaping metal. For some designs, metal is removed from the coin.
The bison reverse is often seen redesigned into the form of another animal.
Classic hobo nickels represent those pieces created from the early 20th century to the early 1960s. Hobos traveled the country, often precariously clutching the undersides of railroad boxcars to avoid detection by railroad security, in search of work.
The hobo nickels were the extension of that search, with hobos willing to trade the numismatic folk art in exchange for food and lodging when other paying work was unavailable.
The art form is still practiced by artists who create modern versions of the coins.
A top collection
Today, hobo nickels are avidly collected by a group of collector specialists.
Many fellow collectors considered Frost’s collection as among the top collections of original classic hobo nickels both in quantity and quality.
Adding Frost’s 218 pieces to Kagin’s own holdings of more than 300 hobo nickels is likely to render her collection as tops in the numismatic specialty.
Campbell said he had some discussions with Frost about the possibility of dispersing the collection by auction, either through a major numismatic auction firm, or through the Original Hobo Nickel Society sale that has been held each January since 1994 in conjunction with the Florida United Numismatists annual convention.
Campbell said Frost preferred to see his collection remain intact, and efforts were made to meet Frost’s wishes. Campbell was able to achieve that goal when Kagin agreed to the purchase price after other interested parties dropped out of the bidding.
Prominent pieces include four coins engraved by Bert and more than 60 pieces engraved by Bo. Other known classic carvers whose work is featured in the collection are “Peanut Ear,” “Telephone Ear” and “Scruffy Beard.”
Kagin’s new acquisition has more than a dozen each of cameos and two-design hobo nickels plus many pictorial pieces, including coins depicting turtles, dogs, horses, donkeys and elephants.
The hobo nickel acquisition also includes an encased collection of carving and punch tools contemporary to Bo and Bert and that may have belonged to one of the two artists.
CW Link
Hobo nickels sell for $170,000
Frost Collection totals 218 pieces
| May 22, 2012 10:00 a.m.
It is likely that this two-design hobo nickel, part of the recently sold Frost Collection,
was carved from a 1919 Indian Head 5-cent coin. The Indian Head has been converted
to a bearded man wearing a hat, with KARASHAW inscribed to the right, and H.C.A. where the
date would normally appear. The reverse has the bison fashioned into a horse or donkey,
with the inscribed date of 1919, the denomination 10 KOPECKS and the word BOLSHEVIKI.
All images by Todd Pollock, courtesy of www.bluccphotos.com
************************************************************************************************************************************
A collection of 218 hobo nickels was purchased May 11 in Denver for $170,000 by Tiburon, Calif., collector Candace DeMarco Kagin.
Nearly a third of the total were carved by premier hobo artists Bertram “Bert” Weigand and his protege, George Washington “Bo” Hughes, who practiced the art form from about 1913 to the mid-20th century.
The private treaty transaction was brokered during the American Numismatic Association National Money Show by H. Robert Campbell, president of All About Coins in Salt Lake City.
Campbell represented the seller of the collection, Larry Frost, of Park City, Utah.
Frost had purchased nearly 60 original hobo nickels from Campbell some 15 years ago that formed the basis of Frost’s collection. Frost continued to add to his collection pieces that Campbell located for him.
Hobo nickels are usually Indian Head 5-cent coins, commonly called “Buffalo nickels,” that are pieces of American folk art, having had their devices reshaped. The artists modifying the coins use a variety of techniques to reshape the metal, including carving or punched with various tools.
The artists transfer the Indian Head obverse, Bison reverse or both sides into a wide range of fanciful and realistic designs.
The Indian Head is often seen converted into another portrait or converted into an image of a woman, by moving around and reshaping metal. For some designs, metal is removed from the coin.
The bison reverse is often seen redesigned into the form of another animal.
Classic hobo nickels represent those pieces created from the early 20th century to the early 1960s. Hobos traveled the country, often precariously clutching the undersides of railroad boxcars to avoid detection by railroad security, in search of work.
The hobo nickels were the extension of that search, with hobos willing to trade the numismatic folk art in exchange for food and lodging when other paying work was unavailable.
The art form is still practiced by artists who create modern versions of the coins.
A top collection
Today, hobo nickels are avidly collected by a group of collector specialists.
Many fellow collectors considered Frost’s collection as among the top collections of original classic hobo nickels both in quantity and quality.
Adding Frost’s 218 pieces to Kagin’s own holdings of more than 300 hobo nickels is likely to render her collection as tops in the numismatic specialty.
Campbell said he had some discussions with Frost about the possibility of dispersing the collection by auction, either through a major numismatic auction firm, or through the Original Hobo Nickel Society sale that has been held each January since 1994 in conjunction with the Florida United Numismatists annual convention.
Campbell said Frost preferred to see his collection remain intact, and efforts were made to meet Frost’s wishes. Campbell was able to achieve that goal when Kagin agreed to the purchase price after other interested parties dropped out of the bidding.
Prominent pieces include four coins engraved by Bert and more than 60 pieces engraved by Bo. Other known classic carvers whose work is featured in the collection are “Peanut Ear,” “Telephone Ear” and “Scruffy Beard.”
Kagin’s new acquisition has more than a dozen each of cameos and two-design hobo nickels plus many pictorial pieces, including coins depicting turtles, dogs, horses, donkeys and elephants.
The hobo nickel acquisition also includes an encased collection of carving and punch tools contemporary to Bo and Bert and that may have belonged to one of the two artists.
CW Link
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Comments
I talked to a dealer at a show and he had some for the $600 range...that was shocking to me! I had no idea they were desired so much by so many...at least some that can be attributed to the ol' time artists anyway.
https://greatcollections.com/Collections/1120/The-Keyman64-Mercury-Dime-Collection/2024-07-07
Fellas, leave the tight pants to the ladies. If I can count the coins in your pockets you better use them to call a tailor. Stay thirsty my friends......
<< <i>That's a collection I would love to see displayed at an ANA Show or at FUN. MJ >>
I'd love to see it, too!
<< <i>I think that works out to about $6.50 an hour for the artists who engraved these. >>
A dealer came to the shop asking if I had any hobo nickels, a while back. He told me they were pricey. He's probably disappointed the collection didn't get broken up. I started a thread about Hobo Nickels recently. It wouldn't surprise me if he wasn't the underbidder or was one pushing it to that level.
<< <i>I can honestly say that I am shocked that anone would see that kind of value on such an item. Unbelievable, but if collectors can fork out that kind of money for that sort of thing it just makes what I collect even more justifiable. >>
For an average of $780 a coin you are shocked? Pre-Depression era art, one of one kind pieces, the two greatest hobo engravers? I think she got a steal.
MJ
Fellas, leave the tight pants to the ladies. If I can count the coins in your pockets you better use them to call a tailor. Stay thirsty my friends......
<< <i>
<< <i>
<< <i>I can honestly say that I am shocked that anone would see that kind of value on such an item. Unbelievable, but if collectors can fork out that kind of money for that sort of thing it just makes what I collect even more justifiable. >>
For an average of $780 a coin you are shocked? Pre-Depression era art, one of one kind pieces, the two greatest hobo engravers? I think she got a steal.
MJ >>
I didn't know that anyone has been able to time date stamp these first off. I see no numismatic value in any coin that has been defaced to include a cartoon. I am not into potty seated pieces either. I am also not into wood carvings btw. I wouldn't spend your $780 per piece. Now if Van Gogh was discovered to have performed the artwork then i will admit I am a total idiot in passing this auction up until then I am happy not have been involved in what must be th emost spirited bidding of the decade.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Even you
MJ
Fellas, leave the tight pants to the ladies. If I can count the coins in your pockets you better use them to call a tailor. Stay thirsty my friends......
<< <i>I think that works out to about $6.50 an hour for the artists who engraved these. >>
BTW I tried to commission one of the best hobo artists of the day to do a series of coins for me. He said there just wasn't enough money in it. I also don't think he thought highly of coin collectors in general. Actually I know he didn't. MJ
Fellas, leave the tight pants to the ladies. If I can count the coins in your pockets you better use them to call a tailor. Stay thirsty my friends......
<< <i>Do I smell a new promotional effort in the works? >>
Not from here. I'm still dealing with brown wheaties.
<< <i>I will admit that my interest in them does grow over time, it seems that I look more and more like the character depicted ont he obverse, if and when the transformation does take place, and the resemblance becomes irrefutable I will be forced to purchase that cloned looking piece, but i will limit my purchase to one per household, mine.
Hopefully your village will call you soon and as a group your able to purchase an entire collection
<< <i>I can honestly say that I am shocked that anone would see that kind of value on such an item. Unbelievable, but if collectors can fork out that kind of money for that sort of thing it just makes what I collect even more justifiable. >>
And you collect tiny little dimes..... To each their own..Why would you think that these little pieces of art wouldn't have value???
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Although I do not collect these, I offer my heartiest congratulations to both the buyer and seller on the consummation of the deal.
<< <i>I can honestly say that I am shocked that anone would see that kind of value on such an item. Unbelievable, but if collectors can fork out that kind of money for that sort of thing it just makes what I collect even more justifiable. >>
I would buy these a hundred times over the MS70 pocket change that others pay a huge premium for. To each their own.
Box of 20