Buffalo nickel goes 'round the outside

May 17, 2010 9:31 PM

What can you tell me about this WWII-era altered nickel coin?

My dad was given this coin, which is an altered WW2-era buffalo nickel. I've managed to discover a tiny reference to POW nickels (scroll down), but not much more. Nebraska's Ft. Richardson, referenced on the coin holder, was a German POW camp during WW2.

So what's it all about? What's the carved picture supposed to be? And what's it worth?

posted by BlahLaLa to Grab Bag (4 answers total)

Best answer: I think this is likely a "hobo nickel". Here's a vintage ad depicting a similar caricature.
posted by cosmicbandito at 10:10 PM on May 17, 2010

That's obviously a very negative stereotyped image of a Jewish man. This was made by a German soldier in a POW camp here in America? Another reason to be happy that Nazi Germany lost the war.
posted by Dee Xtrovert at 10:13 PM on May 17, 2010 [2 favorites]

No speculation as to the value of the coin, but if it really is from Fort Robinson, uh, you do realize that it's basically a Jewish caricature carved by a German P.O.W?
posted by drumcorpse at 10:16 PM on May 17, 2010 [1 favorite]

Best answer: see also, the hobo nickel showcase. Lots of coins similar to yours there. It appears value depends on whether it's a vintage alteration or a modern one. Here's a completed ebay auction for a coin similar to yours. As with any other collectible, there may be intricacies to pricing that are not apparent to the untrained eye.
posted by cosmicbandito at 10:16 PM on May 17, 2010