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Buffalos and silver Coin Roll Hunting Nickels

gameoftag

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Joined
Dec 9, 2010
Messages
2,418
Location
Wisconsin
I have been coin roll hunting nickels for over a year. I usually do a box a week, but have taken a few weeks off here and there. This week, I did box number 57 since I started and had the best box I have ever had.
Over this time, I have managed to find at least one of every Jefferson from the years 1938-2003 for my folder including the key date 1950-D.

50d.jpg

Before I started this box, I was only missing 3 regular nickels (1938-S, 1939-D, and 1942-D [not silver]), and 2 silver nickels (1943-S, and 1944-S)

album 40s.jpg

within the first 5 rolls, I found a buffalo nickel (1935) and my son found a war nickel (1944-S). I didn't know which one was more exciting to me. Of all the war nickels I could have found, it was one of the 2 I still needed, however, That was only the second Buffalo I had ever found in a roll since I started. Both were a welcome site for sure.

We continued on, and with only 7 rolls left, my son pulls another Buffalo (1937). 2 rolls later, he gets another buffalo (no date). With one roll left, I gave it to him to go through since he had had such good luck. The final roll held a 1943-S war nickel (the last one I needed). so this box ended up giving me the last 2 silver nickels I needed and 3 buffalos.

Here are the pics:
overall.jpg

war and buffs.jpg

buffs.jpg

Also found a 2009. These are going to be rare with a mintage lower than any other nickel since the 50-D. I have not found one in the last 7 or so boxes. Lot's of fun, and it got me excited about going through nickels again.
 
Great score with that box of nickels! Sounds like a great father / son activity!
 
What a great box of nickels. I hadn't seen a buff come out of a roll for a month or so and pulled two out of one roll last night (bth dateless). Do you have a picture of the reverse of the 35/37? They look to be in pretty decent shape for possibly circulating for over 70 years.
 
What a great box of nickels. I hadn't seen a buff come out of a roll for a month or so and pulled two out of one roll last night (bth dateless). Do you have a picture of the reverse of the 35/37? They look to be in pretty decent shape for possibly circulating for over 70 years.

I don't have a pic of the reverse on the Buffalos at the moment. one was a d mint (can't remember which one). I'm sure those were part of someones collection and got dumped.
My opinion is most older coins (except maybe wheats and some war nickels) have been pulled from circulation at some point and then put back in either intentionally or accidentally. I just can't imagine a buffalo passing through millions of peoples hands over even the last 20 years, and someone not snatching it up. My sister in law found a merc as a kid and even though she had no clue what it was worth, she kept it because it was cool and different. When I got into coins, she gave it to me. I doubt even the smooth date buffalo has been circulating for it's entire life.

Just my opinion. I really have no clue. All I know is, these are out of circulation until I die (maybe longer) :)
 
Nice hunt!

Buffs are great to find. That's kind of odd that you had only found 2 in 56 boxes before this box. I've done 20 boxes and only found 2 as well. Both dateless, and one is almost completely black and unrecognizable as well. Some people just seem to have better luck than others finding the Buffs. I know of some people that do Nickel boxes quite regularly, and it seems they find Buffs every few boxes, no such luck for me though.

I'm still hoping to find a 1950-D other than that I'm done with my Nickel Whitman. I found 2 1939-D's in back to back boxes a few weeks ago. Those were good boxes.

I'm not sure what to think with the '09s I know they are lower mint and all, but still there a quite a few other pre-1960s that are around that mint too that aren't worth a whole heck of a lot. But I don't blame folks for wanting to hold on to the 09s. It does give you something else to look for. Nickel boxes are a lot of fun, always find plenty of keepers.

I keep all pre-1960s that are under 50M mint.

HH!
 
Nice hunt!

Buffs are great to find. That's kind of odd that you had only found 2 in 56 boxes before this box. I've done 20 boxes and only found 2 as well. Both dateless, and one is almost completely black and unrecognizable as well. Some people just seem to have better luck than others finding the Buffs. I know of some people that do Nickel boxes quite regularly, and it seems they find Buffs every few boxes, no such luck for me though.

I'm still hoping to find a 1950-D other than that I'm done with my Nickel Whitman. I found 2 1939-D's in back to back boxes a few weeks ago. Those were good boxes.

I'm not sure what to think with the '09s I know they are lower mint and all, but still there a quite a few other pre-1960s that are around that mint too that aren't worth a whole heck of a lot. But I don't blame folks for wanting to hold on to the 09s. It does give you something else to look for. Nickel boxes are a lot of fun, always find plenty of keepers.

I keep all pre-1960s that are under 50M mint.

HH!

Sounds like we have a lot in common. :) I also keep all pre-1960 nickels, but I keep them all regardless of mintage (as of now). My thought is they are going to change the composition of the nickel in the next year or 2 to make them cheaper to produce, and when that happens, The older composition will start to disappear. The first ones to go will be the older ones. Add that to the fact that they have already changed the design to look different in 2006. As this new design becomes more normal, the old design will disappear like the buffalo and V nickel has, and again the old ones will be the first to be snatched up.
I'm also not sure on the 2009, but given the fact that I have only found 8 in all the boxes I have went through, I'm going to hold on to them and see what happens. That's the beauty of coin collecting. 20 years from now, I can always dump them back and get my money back. No harm hanging on to them.
 
Yeah probably not a bad idea to hold onto all of the pre-1960s. I think I would have at least 15 rolls full of pre-60s if I would have kept them all. If I start up again on Nickels I might just do that as a goal (try to collect a full box worth of pre-60s Nickels).

True about the 09s.

Maybe I should buy that 1950-D soon as in the next few years it could start to take off if they change the composition and all.
 
So that's what a buffalo nickel is supposed to look like! My dug ones are so bad, I forgot that they were originally nice and shiny! Congrats on finding some nice coins for your collection.
 
Yeah probably not a bad idea to hold onto all of the pre-1960s. I think I would have at least 15 rolls full of pre-60s if I would have kept them all. If I start up again on Nickels I might just do that as a goal (try to collect a full box worth of pre-60s Nickels).

True about the 09s.

Maybe I should buy that 1950-D soon as in the next few years it could start to take off if they change the composition and all.

I'm thinking the same thing about the 39-D as you are the the 50-D. Still holding out though. I want my entire folder to be from circulation, but the last ones I need are going to be tough to find.

Went through another box last night...... One War nickel (1945-D), but as expected, no buffalos, and no 09's.

I have almost a full container of pre-1960 nickels. It's the same type of container that I take my change back to the bank in, and full, it holds about $60 in nickels. I'm not to a box of pre-1960 nickels, but I'm over half way there. :)
 
Does your bank charge you to count the change you take back to the bank?

Nope. If that ever happens, I will be done Coin roll hunting. Most banks in my area require an account to return coins without a fee. Without an account, there is usually a fee, at least in my area.
 
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