posted on June 1, 2004 04:23:40 PM
My husband has a large batch of old buffalo nickels- about 1/3 of them have the dates worn off- someone told him that there was a checmical that could help make the date readable-anyone know if this is true??
posted on June 1, 2004 04:29:30 PM
With the buffalo nickels, it is quite common for dates to rub off with use. There is no method I know of that will restore them, and even i there was, you don't want to do that - cleaning coins actually can reduce their value even further!
Friends don't let Friends say stupid things like Friends don't let friends vote Republican!
posted on June 1, 2004 05:43:47 PM
Buffalo Nickels with the dates worn off have no collector value. That being said, if you can bring the date up, and IF it is of sufficient rarity (which most aren't) it will have some value as a filler. I do remember back in the 60's that there was a product that outlined the date. Probably an acid like the one that police use to bring up the serial number on an item where it has been ground off. I've been away from coin collecting so long that I don't know if it's still on the market.
"The only thing more expensive than an education is ignorance" B. Franklin
posted on June 1, 2004 06:12:02 PM
There is a chemical to bring out the date......but you don't want to use it. The use of the chemical will render the nickels valueless to collector's, unless you happen to unearth some extreme rare date, which is a 1 in 100,000 chance. Coin dealers that deal in these things by the bucketful don't mess with it. Plus, the chemical is extremely acidic and is potentially toxic if you don't know what you're doing. As it is, buffalo nickels with no dates DO have value. They are worth 15 cents to collectors. Buffalo nickels with (common)dates are worth 30-40 cents.
[ edited by longtime1 on Jun 1, 2004 06:13 PM ]
