1916 doubled die buffalo nickel, would you restore the date on this one or leave it alone?
BUFFNIXX
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I ask the following question -- if this were your coin would you restore the date or leave it alone? coin is identifiable by the doubling on the bottommost 2 feathers as well as the doubled and thickened ribbon tie directly above and a bit to the right
of the date. What would you do if you scored this while looking thru a pile of dateless so-called valueless buffs?
Collector of Buffalo Nickels and other 20th century United States Coinage
a.k.a "The BUFFINATOR"
a.k.a "The BUFFINATOR"
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I’d leave it alone. Use nic-a-date and the value drops by at least 75%.
Always buying nice toned coins! Searching for a low grade 1873 Arrows DDO Dime and 1842-O Small Date Quarter.
IMHO not worth it
1997-present
As a previous poster said, if you restore it, you lose 75%. PCGS will grade it as is, and my best guess is AG03 or G04. I have sent in two that looked worse than yours that graded AG03 and F02. I sold both for well north of $1k...
mbogoman
https://pcgs.com/setregistry/collectors-showcase/classic-issues-colonials-through-1964/zambezi-collection-trade-dollars/7345Asesabi Lutho
You suck, naturally. The way that coin should stay.
Leave it alone. The diagnostics are there and so is the date; at least I believe I can make it out.
Leave it alone, Buff.......it has enough meat on the bone for a nice slab to rest in.
Pete
I agree leave it "as is" it is identifiable the way it is, and "acid date" would not help in the value, Nice find if found in so called "Junk"!!
Nice find and sharp eyes... do not enhance the date...destroys the value and desirability of the coin. Cheers, RickO
Let's see, a dateless-but-attributable coin with honest wear, or the same coin with damage.
What to do, what to do....
Leave it.
Jim
When a man who is honestly mistaken hears the truth, he will either quit being mistaken or cease to be honest....Abraham Lincoln
Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.....Mark Twain
Do it! What if it is the BIG one? Lol. I'd DO it.
"Jesus died for you and for me, Thank you,Jesus"!!!
--- If it should happen I die and leave this world and you want to remember me. Please only remember my opening Sig Line.You have a great eye. Leave it alone.
It is the big one!
It can already be identified as an 1916/16 DDO by the doubling in the small feather and the large feather. PCGS will slab it as a 1916 DDO even if the date isn't visible based on this die marker. Using Nic-O-Date will ruin this coin and greatly reduce its value. This coin should be slabbed by a major grading service to greatly enhance its value.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
I must be blind......I do not see a 1916 at all.
I do see the doubling on the small feather. 
Seems like someone here posted a video not too long ago showing how to restore dates on Buffalo nickels without using etching acid in the date area. They turned out pretty good.
It's also strongly doubled on the ribbon ties. Note that the "doubling" on the nose and forehead are not characteristic of the doubled die. That is machine doubling. This variety comes in two die stages-one that shows this machine doubling and one that does not.
I'd leave it alone.
How much of a market is there for a 1916/1916 Buffalo Nickel in that grade? I personally wouldn't make an offer on a coin like that. It is just too far gone.
The big question is "Will the major grading services slab these coins?"
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
I personally would leave it as is!
If they will slab a totally slick 1916 quarter I would say yes!
The situation is similar to dateless 1916 Standing Liberty quarters. They slab those so they should slab a dateless 16/16. They can easily be attributed without a date.
I was taking about those coins that had their dates restored. Will they straight grade these coins?
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
I believe I've seen them graded as AG03.
No!
Beat Ya!
I guess you did! It was nearly simultaneous!
PCGS has graded dateless 16/16 coins as FR02.
Anything that is done to that coin will decrease its value. It is attributable as is. If someone needs to see a date on their coins and they had one of these, they should sell it and buy the same thing that someone else had impaired with acid or whatever process, for much less money.
It looks like the coin is already in an NGC holder.
Jesse C. Kraft, Ph.D.
Resolute Americana Curator of American Numismatics
American Numismatic Society
New York City
Member of the American Numismatic Association (ANA), British Numismatic Society (BNS), New York Numismatic Club (NYNC), Early American Copper (EAC), the Colonial Coin Collectors Club (C4), U.S. Mexican Numismatic Association (USMNA), Liberty Seated Collectors Club (LSCC), Token and Medal Society (TAMS), and life member of the Atlantic County Numismatic Society (ACNS).
Become a member of the American Numismatic Society!
I would use the " Nic-a-Date" but very, very sparingly! I'd first take a small, small paint brush to it. Just a slight brush of acid, maybe only a tad acid is all you need? Maybe, even using a toothpick? The date should show by this tactic? Good Luck, if you decide to even attempt it?
"Jesus died for you and for me, Thank you,Jesus"!!!
--- If it should happen I die and leave this world and you want to remember me. Please only remember my opening Sig Line.I should have added the following at the beginning. It is not my coin and it currently sits in a Stacks-Bowers auction
where it has been graded AG03 by NGC The bid currently sits at $360.00 with over 22 days to go in the auction.
I will keep this thread updated on the price now at $360 and $456 with the juice. Will update this thread periodically to report on
increases.
a.k.a "The BUFFINATOR"
These typically go for around a grand or a little more.
About 35 years ago a long time store dealer in my area sold his shop and some of his lesser stock to an investor who then took over and continued running the shop. Included in the buy were many rolls of circulated Buffalo nickels. These rolls were of little interest to the new owner and just sat untouched for many years. Finally, around 2000, the store manager, who was not the owner, decided to look through the rolls of circulated Buffalo nickels. Most were very ordinary, but not all. In one of the rolls was a high circulated grade 1916/1916 Buffalo!
Can I ask a newbie question? Why is it double die? It looks to me flat and shelf like on face or am I missing something? TY Still learning
Nobody saw the slab prongs on the OP photo?
And you expect to see doubling on a 1916/1916 without a date?
😆
Dead Cat Waltz Exonumia
"Coin collecting for outcasts..."
Dave
Yes you can see doubling, their is doubling on the right most outlines of the feathers and also the ribbon ties
are strongly doubled. Especially the leftmost one. Also this coin exhibits machine or shelf doubling on the profile
which is not the result of a doubled die. These features are the result of die doubling.
a.k.a "The BUFFINATOR"
The doubling on the Indians profile is not the result of die doubling but rather machine doubling.
a.k.a "The BUFFINATOR"
No matter how little you use it will leave traces and discoloring.
I feel your pain with a worn 6 but just leave it in the holder. Take a bow for your terrific find.
Good eye, dude! I didn't notice. Lol.
"Jesus died for you and for me, Thank you,Jesus"!!!
--- If it should happen I die and leave this world and you want to remember me. Please only remember my opening Sig Line.Yes, I know Jon, but one can take care to a minimal damage, right? If you can just bring out the date, even just the 16/16, PCGS or whatever grading co. they would be satisfied.
"Jesus died for you and for me, Thank you,Jesus"!!!
--- If it should happen I die and leave this world and you want to remember me. Please only remember my opening Sig Line.PCGS should slab it without a date. It can easily be attributed without a date just like a 1916 SLQ. If you look on ebay there is a dateless 16/16 attributed as a FR02.
this
You aren't listening. PCGS and everyone already knows it's 16/16 without damaging the coin. It will be worth LESS if you etch it with acid.
Here is a 1918/7-d that was restored and is now for sale on eBay. The restoration job was very well done about the best I have ever seen. And this has certainly enhanced the value of this coin, the fact that it was very well done. And there is a way to tell that this is an 8/7 overdate by looking at the mintmark position. You could not sell this coin except for the date being visible. Mintmark position will not sell the coin. And there is also a small diebreak in the center of the obverse.
a.k.a "The BUFFINATOR"
Here is the reverse of this restored 8/7-d......
a.k.a "The BUFFINATOR"
Looking at this dateless coin though the coin is really nice for the grade being dateless is like looking at a playboy playmate of the month who is standing behind a curtain with just her head showing.
a.k.a "The BUFFINATOR"
Here is another 1916 doubled die for sale on eBay right now that has been completeley restored and the opening bid
is $1500. I have seen some grading services grade coins like this as VF20 acid treated surfaces
a.k.a "The BUFFINATOR"
Thank You!
"Jesus died for you and for me, Thank you,Jesus"!!!
--- If it should happen I die and leave this world and you want to remember me. Please only remember my opening Sig Line.