Dateless Buffalo Nickels in vinegar – week 1 results

[Dok Holliday]

Before my Nic-A-Date arrives, I figured I’d have nothing to lose to soak the 3 Datless Buffalo Nickels I’ve found in the last 2 weeks of nickel boxes in vinegar. Two of them, a Mint-less and an S, have been soaking since 8/19. A second S has been soaking since 8/26. Upon inspection today, I feel I’m able to be 90% certain what the dates are. Although none are a 1921S, I came really close!

1918
1919S
1920S

I've added salt to my vinegar today to see if that accelerates anything. I've got 2 more boxes of nickels along with $1000 in dimes coming this Thursday, as well as a strap of $2 bills to see if I can dig up any red seals, or at least get random serial numbers. If I can get random serial numbers I know my bank isn't sourcing from bills fresh from the BEP/Fed and I can keep grabbing a strap a week. Once I find some red seals I'll be looking to trade for some junk silver, so keep your eyes on me if you're interested.

 

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[papa1956e9]

Could you post some pictures? I'd like to do this with a few of mine, I just want to see what they end up looking like. Thanks and HH.

 

[Dok Holliday]

Pictures might not show much, as it was VERY difficult to read those dates...I had to angle them in the proper light to finally see it, and even now I'm still only 90% sure. Once they are done I will let you know what they look like, post some pictures, and tell you how long it took.

 

[BuffaloBoy]

good scores, even if it is a "key date" like 1914d buffalo nickel(I have 2), they aren't worth much after acid/vinegar treatment though a dateless buffalo nickel is worthless anyway!! hh

 

[captainfwiffo]

Before you treat them, several dates can be identified even if they are completely dateless because they have single-year design features. Of course, you can identify 1913 type 1 (raised ground), but also 1920, 1921 and 1924. Also, be sure to check for rare varieties like three-legged, two-feather or 1916 doubled die before treating. The doubling on the feathers on the '16 doubled die is obvious on even really worn specimens. The 1918/7-D overdate has a distinctive die crack on most examples too.

If there's even a hint of a date, really try to puzzle it out because partial date ones are always worth a lot more than acid dates.

Here's a comparison picture to help you with 1920/1921/1924.

 

[Dok Holliday]

My 1920 shows the wavy ribbon without the hair detail. I've pulled them all from the vinegar bath, as I'm now certain as to the dates.

 

[Rakattack]

captainwiffo,

What you are observing there are differences in striking strength. Most buffalo nickels have extremely weak strikes, resulting in the loss of hair detail even in high MS grades. Those are not characteristics you can judge a date by, albeit some dates are known for weak strikes and some for stronger strikes. It's not certain until you nic-a-date.

 

[SeaninNH]

Did the vinegar turn them red?

Every Buffalo I've put in vinegar turns red.

 

[Dok Holliday]

They did not turn red

 

[captainfwiffo]

What you are observing there are differences in striking strength. Most buffalo nickels have extremely weak strikes, resulting in the loss of hair detail even in high MS grades. Those are not characteristics you can judge a date by, albeit some dates are known for weak strikes and some for stronger strikes. It's not certain until you nic-a-date.

No, I've researched this thoroughly and looked at hundreds of dateless and dated buffalo nickels. Those three grooves coming out of the band at the top of the braid are present only on 1921 Buffalo nickels - it was a single year design change and a 100% ID for 1921. If you look at well-struck, MS examples from other years, they never have those specific grooves. Likewise the differences in the ribbon are consistent for those specific years.

Sometimes you can also use the position of the F initial below the date to narrow down the year, but it's very difficult and that's often worn off.

 

[jrf30]

Nic-a-date takes only about 90 seconds, and has done wonders for the ones i've used it on. PLus, one bottle will last me until 2092! I'm amazed that even with the number I've used it on, the bottle seems 100% full. One drop is all you need per nickel. that's a lot of nickels in one bottle.

I recommend nic-a-date to all. Only on the dateless ones, so you don't damage ones where you can already see the date, but at least you get answrs on ones you should be curious about in the first place. :-)

 

[BuffaloBoy]

Nic-a-date takes only about 90 seconds, and has done wonders for the ones i've used it on. PLus, one bottle will last me until 2092! I'm amazed that even with the number I've used it on, the bottle seems 100% full. One drop is all you need per nickel. that's a lot of nickels in one bottle.

I recommend nic-a-date to all. Only on the dateless ones, so you don't damage ones where you can already see the date, but at least you get answrs on ones you should be curious about in the first place. :-)

Nic-A-Date can take as little as 30 seconds as well! 90 seconds for those really rough coins.

 

[captainfwiffo]

Instead of Nic-a-Date, go to Radio Shack and get a bottle of PCB etchant. It's the exact same stuff, maybe a tad stronger, and you get a great huge bottle for about the same price as the little bottle of Nic-a-Date. You'll also want to get an eye-dropper or something, as it doesn't come with the convenient Nic-a-Date dropper bottle.

You can also use a dish of the etchant if you want to take a stab at a more complete full-nickel restoration (more challenging).

 

[CHAINCHOMP]

just trying to help, but u do realize its impossible to find red seals in FED straps because the feds pull them right? Keep it up and hh! [R.I.P. Rich Hartford]

 

[Dok Holliday]

Exactly right Chainchomp, that is why I am getting a strap to see what is available to m e. I may verywell get a bank stap as opposed to a strap from the fed, or fresh from the BEP

 

[Dok Holliday]

I got my Nic-A-date. Tried it out. It did make the dates more readable, so I am been 100% certain of them now. I was accurate when I felt only 90% accurate with just vinegar. I think, moving forward, I am going to try to vinegar bath first because it leaves a more even tone to the coin. The nic-a-date leaves a darker mark where the ferric chloride sat. I am now fairly confident in the vinegar process, as the nic-a-date only served to confirm the vinegar dates.