How to Grade the Buffalo Nickel | Coin Grading Made Simple

How to Grade the Buffalo Nickel | Coin Grading Made Simple #numismatics
Please like and Subscribe. Timestamps below:
0:00 - Intro
0:52 - Striking Issues
1:45 - Design Obverse
2:15 - Design Reverse
2:35 - Wear vs. Weak Strike
3:32 - Dates & Mint Marks known for weak strikes
5:20 - The Importance of the Horn
7:00 - Heat Map Analysis
7:38 - Design High Points on Obverse and Reverse
8:00 - MS67
8:35 - MS66
9:04 - MS65
9:26 - MS63
9:43 - AU55
10:03 - EF40
10:27 - VF30
If this one is a little slow, listen at 2x, I went pretty slowly through this one.
The Buffalo nickels appeared in 1913 for the first time, and their production lasted until 1938, when Jefferson nickels took over the primacy. Compared to many American coins that are easy to grade, these five-cent pieces often defy the rules.
The problem is nickels minted in Denver and San Francisco from 1917 to 1927. These specimens often have indistinct high points, so experts sometimes have a lot of trouble estimating them.
Buffalo Nickel
Face value Five cents ($0.05)
Compound Cupronickel alloy
Coin weight 0.176 ounces (5 g)
Coin diameter 0.835 inches (21.2 mm)
Coin thickness 0.077 inches (1.95 mm)
The ANA tried to make the process effortless by providing a list of unevenly struck dates with weak spots in some crucial details. They include the Native American’s braid, the date, and some buffalo body parts, including its head, horn, shoulder, and tail.
A particularly troublesome detail is the animal’s horn, which is often missing even in numerous mint state coins. That caused confusion in the past because the criteria for Very Fine Buffalo nickels must include a fully visible horn.
The ANA guide has added a few corrections about the subject until now. New instructions are about an invisible horn on coins in Very Fine and even better-graded specimens. That way, even a poorly struck but never used nickel with incomplete buffalo’s horn can be in the mint state but in a lower degree.
How To Grade Buffalo Nickel?
Most coins in the Buffalo nickel series wear unevenly, and some defects are noticed even among pieces in the mint state. The most recognizable issue is with a poorly struck buffalo horn, so you should check specific guidelines considering it.
Besides, minting problems with these five-cent coins cause their quick wear and tear over the years. That caused the date, denomination, and mint mark to be barely visible and difficult to read.

[@LenHere]

Merry Christmas, thanks for stopping by!!

[@VintageSoul]

Great informative video 👍🏻👍🏻🖤💙🖤🤗

[@chadbenner6316]

Thank you for the content! Very well executed! Merry Christmas!!!

[@LenHere]

Same to you!

[@SGProv423]

Solid info and delivery

[@LenHere]

Thanks for watching, hope you found it helpful.

[@MsSnowwhite99]

Len, what ever happen to that toned walker u posted 9 months ago

[@LenHere]

I really need to update the community on that one. Thanks for the reminder.