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Buffalo nickel: "grassy mound"?!

DentuckDentuck Posts: 3,850 ✭✭✭✭
In Title II of the Presidential $1 Coin Act of 2005, which authorized the American Buffalo gold coins, Congress instructed the following:

"The coins . . . shall have inscriptions of the weight of the coin and the nominal denomination of the coin incused in that portion of the design on the reverse of the coin commonly known as the 'grassy mound.'"

Now, I'm no expert, but I got my first Buffalo nickel around 35 years ago. I've studied them off and on since then. I've read about them quite extensively. I talk to people about them fairly frequently.

I don't think I've ever heard or read reference to that area as "the grassy mound."

If you do a Google search on "Buffalo nickel" + "grassy mound", nearly all of the hits are references to the American Buffalo gold coins and/or their authorizing legislation.

Does Congress know something about these coins that we don't?



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    LanceNewmanOCCLanceNewmanOCC Posts: 19,999 ✭✭✭✭✭
    .

    first i recall hearing/reading this.



    so it goes



    mound

    grassy mound

    knoll

    grassy knoll



    do the buffalos hold the secret...



    the buffalo brief?



    tx for the info. image

    ?

    <--- look what's behind the mask! - cool link 1/NO ~ 2/NNP ~ 3/NNC ~ 4/CF ~ 5/PG ~ 6/Cert ~ 7/NGC 7a/NGC pop~ 8/NGCF ~ 9/HA archives ~ 10/PM ~ 11/NM ~ 12/ANACS cert ~ 13/ANACS pop - report fakes 1/ACEF ~ report fakes/thefts 1/NCIS - Numi-Classes SS ~ Bass ~ Transcribed Docs NNP - clashed coins - error training - V V mm styles -

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    FredWeinbergFredWeinberg Posts: 6,031 ✭✭✭✭✭
    That's what happens when an Aide to the sponsor of the bill

    writes it up - they're probably under 35 years old, and to them,

    it looks like a 'grassy mound'.



    Actually, now that I think about it, I'm sure when the ANA is

    in Colorado in two years from now, we'll see plenty of those.
    Retired Collector & Dealer in Major Mint Error Coins & Currency since the 1960's.Co-Author of Whitman's "100 Greatest U.S. Mint Error Coins", and the Error Coin Encyclopedia, Vols., III & IV. Retired Authenticator for Major Mint Errors for PCGS. A 50+ Year PNG Member.A full-time numismatist since 1972, retired in 2022.
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    TreashuntTreashunt Posts: 6,747 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Dennis:



    I think the writer was thinking about JFK conspiracy theories.



    Not the nickel



    Frank

    BHNC #203

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    DentuckDentuck Posts: 3,850 ✭✭✭✭
    When my beagle Daisy got a bit overweight, I affectionately referred to her as "The Round Mound of Hound." (Then I put her on a no-biscuits diet and now she's back to fighting form.)



    Back to the subject, though: It's amazing what slips into the congressional record and legislation. I was immersed in all that when I was writing American Gold and Silver: U.S. Mint Collector and Investor Coins and Medals, Bicentennial to Date. Fascinating stuff.



    In a Senate hearing for his proposed Gold Medallion Act of 1978, Jesse Helms told the committee that the Treasury Department was "as silly as a ten-cent watch" for not wanting to sell off its gold in the form of one-ounce and half-ounce medals.



    This "grassy mound" thing is a real puzzler. Maybe it was a prankster having some fun with the "grassy knoll" concept ... or a wet-behind-the-ears aide remembering something his Uncle Jim said once, and writing it into law?!













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    epcjimi1epcjimi1 Posts: 3,489 ✭✭✭
    Does Congress know something about these coins that we don't?



    Probably not, but WTH.


    New thread created? Cursor ticking in the New Thread Title box.



    Just Wondering. See what happens.


    Hit Enter.

    No new thread, I give up, response to the thread, anytime pcgs and Fusetalk 2015 want to fix this, sounds good to me.


    MHO + and a JFC
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    CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 34,005 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Let's ask David Lange and Roger Burdette!
    Numismatist. 54 year member ANA. Former ANA Senior Authenticator. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and ANA Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Also won the PNG's Robert Friedberg Award for "The Enigmatic Lincoln Cents of 1922," Available now from Whitman or Amazon.
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    DentuckDentuck Posts: 3,850 ✭✭✭✭
    . . . . and the local lawn and garden center.



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    CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 34,005 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Have checked through Burdette Renaissance 1909-1915 book as do not see the term "grassy mound" used anywhere.

    TD

    Numismatist. 54 year member ANA. Former ANA Senior Authenticator. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and ANA Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Also won the PNG's Robert Friedberg Award for "The Enigmatic Lincoln Cents of 1922," Available now from Whitman or Amazon.
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    AUandAGAUandAG Posts: 25,038 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Actually buffalos are known for standing on piles of dung for a better view of their preditors (I think Indians?). So, probably just a pile of carp.



    bobimage
    Registry: CC lowballs (boblindstrom), bobinvegas1989@yahoo.com
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    TopographicOceansTopographicOceans Posts: 6,535 ✭✭✭✭
    They want them to be colorized green image
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    CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 34,005 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Not in Vermeule's "Numismatic Art in America," though it does refer to the buffalo on "his plot of prairie."



    TD
    Numismatist. 54 year member ANA. Former ANA Senior Authenticator. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and ANA Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Also won the PNG's Robert Friedberg Award for "The Enigmatic Lincoln Cents of 1922," Available now from Whitman or Amazon.
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    gonzergonzer Posts: 3,085 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: FredWeinberg
    That's what happens when an Aide to the sponsor of the bill
    writes it up - they're probably under 35 years old, and to them,
    it looks like a 'grassy mound'.

    Actually, now that I think about it, I'm sure when the ANA is
    in Colorado in two years from now, we'll see plenty of those.



    That one did not slip unnoticed Fred.
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    keyman64keyman64 Posts: 15,650 ✭✭✭✭✭
    So is there a way to find out who actually wrote this stuff and REQUEST that it be corrected for historical accuracy?

    Guess what...now when you Google this idiocy, this thread will come up...and then maybe in a few years another

    thread....and then in 30+ years it will be as though this was correct all along. Terrible.
    "If it's not fun, it's not worth it." - KeyMan64
    Not really looking for much these days but if I were, it might be a toner. :smile:
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    DentuckDentuck Posts: 3,850 ✭✭✭✭
    In 40 years collectors will say, "Yeah, everyone calls this part of the coin the 'grassy mound.'"



    Grading will be dependent on how much of the bison's horn is visible, and how many leaves of grass are seen on the mound.



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    rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭
    and how many leaves of grass are seen on the mound.
    Oh no.... will there be

    five and six leaves criteria?? As grading becomes ever more finite, I can foresee

    counting hairlines on Kennedy's and hair curls on Morgans... ad infinitum...Cheers, RickO
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    CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 34,005 ✭✭✭✭✭
    There is a bill in Congress, H.R. 1698, whose main intent is to force the Mint to buy up as much palladium as it can buy and coin it into one ounce bullion coins, regardless of the demand for them. The beneficiary would be the one company that mines palladium in America. I have written about this in Coin World and COINage.



    Some people in the District of Corruption put out this flack piece promoting the bill. In it they say that the bill would change the composition of our 90% silver coins (as in the silver proof sets and commemorative dollars) to the more common 91% coinage silver!!!



    http://policy.house.gov/sites/...ct,%20as%20amended.pdf



    So don't be surprised if some idiot refers to the "commonly known grassy mound!"

    Numismatist. 54 year member ANA. Former ANA Senior Authenticator. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and ANA Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Also won the PNG's Robert Friedberg Award for "The Enigmatic Lincoln Cents of 1922," Available now from Whitman or Amazon.
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    DentuckDentuck Posts: 3,850 ✭✭✭✭
    Well said, Captain!



    I suspect the curious wording in the legislation was sponsored by Scotts® Turf Builder® Grass Seed Sun & Shade Mix®.
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    FredWeinbergFredWeinberg Posts: 6,031 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Gonzer - I was beginning to wonder if it

    flew by everyone !
    Retired Collector & Dealer in Major Mint Error Coins & Currency since the 1960's.Co-Author of Whitman's "100 Greatest U.S. Mint Error Coins", and the Error Coin Encyclopedia, Vols., III & IV. Retired Authenticator for Major Mint Errors for PCGS. A 50+ Year PNG Member.A full-time numismatist since 1972, retired in 2022.
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    CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 34,005 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: FredWeinberg

    That's what happens when an Aide to the sponsor of the bill

    writes it up - they're probably under 35 years old, and to them,

    it looks like a 'grassy mound'.



    Actually, now that I think about it, I'm sure when the ANA is

    in Colorado in two years from now, we'll see plenty of those.




    This is how we do it here, Fred.



    http://denver.cbslocal.com/201...tank-at-gas-and-grass/



    Don't actually use the stuff myself, but go past here on the way to church.



    Numismatist. 54 year member ANA. Former ANA Senior Authenticator. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and ANA Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Also won the PNG's Robert Friedberg Award for "The Enigmatic Lincoln Cents of 1922," Available now from Whitman or Amazon.
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    stevebensteveben Posts: 4,666 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I think the writer was thinking about JFK conspiracy theories.



    remember, the biggest JFK conspiracy theory is the one perpetrated by the warren commission!

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